CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(l\/lonographs) 


ICIMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographicaliy  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 

0   Coloured  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 

□   Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommag6e 

□   Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicui^e 

I I   Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

I I   Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

I      I   Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 


Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


□ 


n 


D 


Bound  with  other  material  / 
Reli6  aver  d'autres  documents 

Only  edition  available  / 
Seule  edition  disponible 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion  along 
interior  margin  /  La  rsliure  serree  peut  causer  de 
I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
int6rieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  Use  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajout6es  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  lorsque  ceia  6tait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  6t6  filmees. 

Additional  comments  / 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire qui  sont  peut-etre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  m^tho- 
de  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 

I      I  Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I I   Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommag^es 


n 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 


Q   Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed  / 
Pages  d^olor^es,  tachet^es  ou  piqu^es 

I      I   Pages  detached  /  Pages  d6tach6es 

I  y]   Showthrough/ Transparence 

0   Quality  of  print  varies  / 
'"■    "t^  in6gale  de  I'impression 


' '  .IL  "^s  supplementary  material  / 
'  omprend  du  materiel  suppl6mentaire 

.  ;iges  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips, 
tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  totalement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une 
pelure,  etc.,  ont  6t6  film6es  k  nouveau  de  fa^on  k 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 

Of  rosing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  decolorations  sont 
film6es  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilleure  image 
possible. 


D 


D 


This  item  Is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below  / 

Ce  document  est  f  jImA  au  taux  de  reduction  Indique  ci-dessous. 


lOx 

14x 

18x 

22x 

26x 

30x 

1 

/ 

12x 

16X 

20x 

24x 

28x 

32x 

Th«  copy  filmed  hare  has  baan  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 


L'axamplaira  Ulmi  fut  raproduit  grace  A  la 
gAn^rositA  da: 


National  Library  of  Canada 


Bibliotheque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  hare  are  tha  bast  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  tha 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impraa- 
sion,  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copiaa  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  pege  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Las  images  suivantes  ont  iti  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
da  la  iianetA  de  Texerrplaira  filmi.  at  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Lea  axemplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvarture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commandant 
par  le  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iltustration.  soit  par  le  second 
piat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  ^^- signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Mapa,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartas,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  etre 
film^s  i  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^renis. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  etre 
raproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  filmd  A  partir 
da  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

MICROCOPY   RESOLUTION   TEST   CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


1.0 


I.I 


•  50      "™= 

It   lAo 


2.2 
2.0 

1.8 


^     .-1PPLIED  IfVHGE     Inc 


Iff,'    [asl   Main    Street 

Rocnester,    New    York         '4609       USA 

(716)   482  -  OJOO  -  Phone 

(716)   288  -  5989  -  Fax 


TQRICU  SKETCHES 


:OF  T^HE 


SAir  819111  tfittl 


IN 


ASDTBM 


NOaTHWEST; 


BT  THX 


Most  Kbv,  F.  |T.  Blaijohet. 


mo. 


A    ,  Q. 


OF  THE 

CATHOLIC  CHURCH  IN  OREGON 

DURING  THE  PAST  FORTY  YEARS.     (1838-1878) 

ThESK    SKKTCHES   originally    APrEABEl)    IV    TlIK    P(»KTLAM).    OrKGON,   "L'aIHOI.U; 
SkNTISEI."    in    1878.     ThKY    were    8UB8K(|IENTI.Y    I'lHI.ISHED    IN    BOOK    KOKM. 

This  second  epition  has  hken  cokkecikd  by  the  avtiior,  the  momt 

Rev.  Francis  Nohbkkt  Blan«iikt,  1).  1)..   kihst   Aiuiibishop  <.f 

Oregon,  bekork  his  dkath,  whk  ii  occfuuEi)  june  18th  188:1 


SXSTOS  t. 

(published  febrdaby  7th  1H78. ) 

THE  history  of  the  Catholic  Chun  h— even 
in  the  most  remote  ren;ioiis  wluTf  its  be- 
nign influence  is  feU — possss-sew  «:nat  iuirrest 
not  only  for  those  who  belong  to  --ilie  house- 
hold of  the  FHith"  but,  moreover,  to  c\  .ryonc 
interested  in  the  history  of  civiliziitinii  iind 
Christianity.  Nations  have  their  reli<.nous 
historical  aspect  as  well  as  those  bt^iter  known 
and  more  studied  chapters  pertaiiiiiijf  m  wocu- 
lar  advancement,  yet,  wliil.«t  historians  luve  to 
record  the  triumphs  which  mark  the  pathway 
of  the  pioneers  of  the  forest,  they  are  very 
reticent  rewarding  the  labor,  the  trial."  and  the 
heroism  displayed  by  tlie  pioneers  of  the  Cross. 
Yet  these  heroes  of  heaven-born  Kailh — armed 
with  no  weapon  save  ihe  sijiii  of  man's  re- 
demption, and  bearing  aloft  the  standard  of 
Christianity — penetrated  into  the  remotest  re- 
cesses of  Ihe  earth,  guided  by  the  unerring 
voice  of  God  wlio  calls  tl.em  to  take  up  their 
cross  and  follow  Him.  until  His  precepts  be- 
come known  tLroiigliotit  the  world  even  "from 
tlie  risking  of  the  sun  until  the  going  down  of 
the  same." 

It  is  our  pleasant  duty,  then,  to  place  before 
our  readers  a  few  glimpses  of  the  IoiIm  and 
trials  which  the  pioneers  of  the  Cross  endured 
in  their  early  struggles  to  plant  the  seeds  <»f 
t'iiristiauity  in  the  great  Northwest,  ami  in 


doing  so  we  feel  that  every  Catholic  who  per- 
Uf^es  these  sketches  will  treasure  in  his  heart  a 
;.r.iieful  remembrance  for  those  whose  names 
will  he  inscribed  in  the  niche  of  immortality 
so  deservedly  accorded  by  faithful  Catholics 
to  the  apostles  of  the  Cross. 

The  world  has  its  heroes,  but  to  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  everlasting  Gospel  must  be  as- 
signed H  far  higher  ghiry,  because  they  are  the 
herahls  of  a  King  whose  footstool  is  the  uni- 
v»r-e  !  It  is  in  His  service  that  deeds  of  he- 
roism are  performed  which  make  all  worldly 
actions  pale  into  utter  insignificance.  The 
reason  is  obvious :  the  hero  of  the  world  dis- 
plays hi"  valor  for  earthly  glory  alone,  whilst 
the  missionary  (f  the  Cross  is  animated  by  the 
highest  and  holiest  aspirations  that  can  illu- 
mine the  soul — the  hope  of  enjoying  with  Got! 
the  eternal  reward  promised  to  those  who  scat- 
ter the  seeds  of  Faith  among  the  tribes  and 
peoples  who  are  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God. 

This,  then,  was  the  high  and  ennobling  mis- 
sion III  which  the  pioneers  of  the  Cross  in 
Oregon  engaged  when  they  undertook  to  cross 
the  almost  trackless  plains  which  then  separ- 
ated the  Atlantic  from  tie  Pacitic,  and,  as  we 
follow  them  through  ti.eir  long  and  arduoua 
journey,  let  us  not  forget  to  chant  a  requietn 
over  the  graves  of  those  who  have  passed  to 
their  reward,  whilst  we  accord  to  those  who 
are  stil)  eugaged  in  God's  siprvice  tliat  homage 
so  justly  accorded  to  venerable  age,  holincsti 
of  office,  ai>d  sanctity  of  life. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  OF  THK 


The  Fiust  Catholics  <'k  Oregon. 

W'lieu  the  renownedJesuit  missumary  auil 
Ma.wqnent  martyr  to  the  Faith— Father  I»nao 
.lojrufs— first  j.lnuted  the  seetisof  Faith  nnioii<r 
iliX  Iroquois  IiuViaiis  on  the  hanks  of  tiie  Mo- 
liawlt,  ill  1642,  lie  little  tho»j,'lit  the  grain  of 
niii«iaril.»eed  thus  sown  would  eventually 
..row  up  iuto  a  jjreaf  tree  whose  hraiurlies 
woiiia  reach  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 
But,  when  we  reflect  that  "the  hh)o(l  of  the 
iii.irtyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  <  "hnrch,"  wc  need 
not  wonder  at  such  a  miracuhuis  manifestation 
of  (iod's  will,  and  the  mutilated  hands  iiiid  tor- 
lured  limbs  of  that  suflTeriujr  imssioiiMry  were 
iwcepted  by  lleaveu  as  so  many  holocausts 
..ffcred  up"^for  the  propajjalion  of  the  Faitli 
fliroughout    every  portion  of  the    American 

.-.iniineut.  . 

Another   element    of  population    throujrh 
wliose  presence  in  Ure-jon  the  Cailmlic  creed 
was  propa-ratcd.  was  the  Canadian  loyigevrit. 
lar-e  numbers  of  whom  were  eujia-ed  to  uc- 
cMinpany  the  several  expeditions  of  Lewis  and 
Clark  ill  I8O0,  .Jolm  Jacob  Ast.>r  in  1810.  and 
ihat  of  Capt.  Hunt  in  1811.     In  Astor's  ex- 
iH-dition  there  were  thirteen  Canadians  nearly 
all  of  whom  were  Catholics,  and  m..i»y  of  these 
i.i...ieers  afterwards  settled  in  the  Willametie 
(ori'nal-v  called  Wallamette)  valley  where  in 
18:58  still  reshled  Mici.ael  La  Framboise,  Stc- 
phiMi  Lucier,  Louis  Labont^  and  Joseph  Ger- 
viiis.     Capt.  Hunt's  expedition  havin<r  encoun- 
u-red  -reat  hardships  on  the  route  across  the 
plains"  many  of  the  members  deserted  from  its 
ranks  and  remained  amou}?  the  Indians;  this 
fact  will  serve  to  account  for  the  preleiiec  of  a 
■iiiiiiber  of  Iroquois  Indians  who  were  fouinl 
amon'r  the  Flatheads  in  1816.     Lar^'e  nu  n- 
bersol"  Canadians  and  Ir  quois  were  also  e.i- 
.r-,.r,.a  in  the  service  of  both  the  N..rth  West 
Companv  and  the  IIud..?cn  Bay  (Company  as 
-r.olerd  and  trappers  at  their  diflerent  statnms 
xvi -t  of  M.e  Rocky  Mountains.     Tiiese  hardy 
piutieers  led  a  roamiu}<  life,  but,  true  to  their 
.sirlveducalion,  amidst  all  the  scenes  of  savage 
life  througii  which  they  passed,  they  never  for- 
.r,,t  their  faith,  but  oil  every  occasion,   when 
?\  lifer  threatened  them,  they  souglit  the  God 
.  f  rwlvatioa  in  prayer.     In  this  uiauuer  the 


Indians,  by  whom  they  were  surrounded,  re- 
ceived the  "first  knowledjre  of  •the  white  man'* 
God,"  and  through  the  Cat' olics  they  also 
learned  of  the  B'nik-fiown  long  y*nrs  beftirc 
they  were  visited  by  a  priest.  To  the  Cai.- 
adians  and  Iroquois,  therefore,  is  due  the  honor 
of  opening  the  way  for  the  Catholic  missionary 
in  Oregon. 

The  First  Colonists  in  Oregon. 

In  1824.  Dr.  John  McLaughlin,  chief  Factor 
of  the  Iludsoti  liiy  Co..  was  appointed  Gov- 
ernor of  the   Hudson   Bay  Oo's.  posts,  with 
head-qiiarliTs  at  Vancouver.  Washington  Ter- 
ritorv .  where  a  Fort  wa>  erected  that  year. 
He  w:«s  one  of  "nature's  noblemen"  in  every 
spin  re  of  life.    Of  commanding  presence,  strict 
integritv,  sound  juilginent.  and  correct  prin- 
ciples of  justice,  no  man  was  better  qualified 
for  the  positimi  he  occupied  as  the  father  and 
friend  of  both  the  Indians  and  the  whiles  who 
then  jointly  occupied  the  Pacific  Northwest. 
Dr.  ivi'  Lan^jhlin  was  the  arbiter  to  whom  both 
whites  and  'ndiaiis  looked  for  the  settlement 
ol  their  differences,  and  the  friend  from  whom 
thev  sought  relief  in  all  their  difficulties.     His 
ashes  test  lieiicatli  the  shadow  of  the  cathedral 
cross  of  Oivgon  City,  where  he  died  in  1857. 
He  was  originally  a  member  of  the  Ang!i<:au 
dinrili.  I  III  wasconvertedby  archbishop  Blan- 
ch I  in  1«1-',  and  was  ever  afterwards  a  most 
exi  mpl.iry  Catholic.  May  his  soul  rest  in  peace. 
I'niler  the  impartial  supervision  of  this  good 
and  great  niiui  the  business  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Co.  prospered  amazingly;  he  preserved  peace 
between  the  Indians  and  the  employees  of  the 
company,  and  established  twenty-eight  trading 
jxwts  d);riog  the  fourteen  years  he  presided 
ovci-  the  iiflairs  of  the  corporation  he  so  ably 
represented.     Under   Dr.    McLaughlin's  di- 
rection a  number  of  the  e;nployees  of  the  com- 
pa'iv,  whose  term  of  service  had  expire*    were 
sr  jplied  with  provisions  and  farming  utensils 
to  enable  them  to  settle  in  that  portion  of  the 
Willamette  valley,  wliich  has  since  been  known 
as  French  Prairie,  and  which  afterwards  be- 
ca;iK!  the  nucleus  of  a  large  and  prosperous 
Catholic  settlement.     He  also  extended  assist- 
ance to  every  immigrant  whose  necessities  'e- 


Catholic  Church  in  Obkoum. 


1 


qiilreil  it,  ADd  hiH  good  deeds  have  enxhrlued 
liiit  iiHiue  amidst  tiie  most  honored  of  the  pi- 
oiitt-rs  of  the  Pacific  coast. 

Ill  1834  the  first  wa'  e  of  iminigriuioo  reaeh- 
«-il  the  shores  of  Oregon.  These  cuiuprised  a 
iiumlierof  Methodist  miniMers  sent  out  hv  the 
BiiHnl  of  Foreign  Missions.  In  1836aiiiim- 
her  uf  Presbyterian  mitiistersarrived,  and  the 
t'ullowing  year  a  second  insiulmen'  of  Method- 
iiil  preachers  were  sent  thither  in  order  to  lielp 
Die  iirsi  under  the  ostensible  purpose  of  set-u- 
riii^  souls  for  the  Lord's  vineyard,  but  in  re- 
ality to  secure  large  tracts  of  land,  liir^'c  bauds 
of  cattle,  and  to  eularge  their  numurotis  com- 
mercial speculations.  Again  in  IM88  the 
I'resby  terian  missionaries  were  re-inforced.  so 
that,  prior  to  the  arrival  of  a  Catholic  mission- 
ary in  Oregon,  the  sects  were  repreficnted  by 
twenty-nine  rc'rular  preachers  bebulcs  a  uu- 
iiu-ruus  retinue  of  agents,  colporters.  and  other 
members — male  and  female.  Tliene  forces 
were  pretty  well  scattered  over  the  country, 
the  Methodists  having  esiablishments  south  of 
the  French  Prairie,  in  Marion  county,  and  also 
at  the  Dalles,  in  Wasco  county.  The  Pres- 
byterians were  located  at  Wailatpu,  on  the 
Walla  Walla  river,  among  a  portion  of  tlie 
Ciiyiise  Indians,  and  also  at  Lapwai,  on  the 
4  'learwater.  Besides  these,  Mr.  Heaver  rep- 
resented the  Anglican  church  at  Vancouver, 
n.x  chaplain  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Co.,  so  ilutt 
I  lie  missionary  Held  was  well  occiipiod  prior  lo 
ihu  advent  cf  a  Catholic  priest,  and  it  is  well 
to  understand  the  situation  so  that  the  reader 
may  brHer  realize  the  ainouut  of  opposition 
which  uie  pioneer  missionaries  of  the  Catholic 
Church  had  to  encounter  in  their  eiforls  to 
plant  the  Cross  in  Oregon. 

Let  us  now  pause  for  a  while  in  our  career 
iifier  the  cross-bet.. ors  of  the  west,  whilst  we 
leiini  from  coiitemporiiry  evidence  the  manner 
i  I  which  the  sectarian  missionaries  preached 
thvi  Gospel  to  the  Indians  whom  they  came  to 
convert.  Tiie  first  Protestant  missionaries  left 
the  eastern  states  amidst  great  e<;lat,  under  the 
iiiijiressiou  that  they  were  going  to  the  Flat- 
iiciul  Indians  for  the  purpose  of  having  them 
t\\\i\  all  adjacent  tribes  take  up  the  Bible  as 
ihi'ir  rule  of  faith.  But,  after  a  very  brief  tri- 
al, these  gentlemen  found  the  situation  not  so 


congenial  as  they  anticipated,  and  they  aban- 
doned the  Flalheads  to  their  perfidious  fate. 
Mr.  Tow  nshend,  w  hose  work  on  the  Rocky 
Mountains  is  our  authority  on  this  point,  says 
that  when  he  traveled  a  few  days  in  the  com- 
pany of  these  "missioiiHries,"  he  soon  discov- 
ered that  their  object  in  going  west  was  not  so 
much  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  Christianity 
among  the  Indians  as  it  was  "for  the  gratifi- 
cation of  '•eeing  a  n<w  country  and  participa- 
ting in  strange  adventures."  They  candidly 
admitted  to  Mr.  Town!<hend  that  the  means  of 
subsistence  in  a  region  so  remote  and  so  d'"- 
licult  of  access  were,  to  say  the  least,  vi.y 
doubtful.  Hence,  as  these  propagandists  of 
Protestant  error  could  not  be  assnrcKl  of  a  well- 
stockeil  larder,  they  quietly  *'folded  their  tents" 
and  left  the  Fhitheads  in  the  mist  of  that  pa- 
gan (iarkness  in  wliicli  they  found  them  en- 
shrouded. Lii'le  did  these  tourists  think  when 
they  ^illr^o(ik  the  poor  Flathead  Indians  that 
there  were  I  hose  coming  after  them  who  would 
never  forsake  ihe  mission  given  them  from  on 
high,  but  who  could  say  with  St.  Paul:  ''Even 
unto  this  hour  we  boih  hunger  and  thirst,  and 
lire  naked,  and  are  buffeted,  and  have  no  fixed 
aboda."  (1  Cor.  iv.  1 1 .)  These  are  the  Cath- 
olic luiseioiuiries  whose  labors  once  begun  were 
never  almiuloued,  and  whose  efforts  we  shall 
fi.id  crowned  with  (-"i-cess.  so  that  the  whole 
Fln'head  Iribe  of  Inniaus  embraced  the  Cath- 
orcfiii'ii,iin<'  re  tinlay among  the  most  happy 
an  I  fuosper.    is  people      i  the  t       re  republic. 

^u-m'  onaries"  were  e  sertpa'  hedio 
represent  the  various  sects  iu  y  laud  under 
more  favorable  auspices  than  were  those  1m  'lies 
and  gentlemen  beloagini;  il  #«  M<  ^  list 
Episcopal  church  who  proflPer  'it- ir  nt-ry  ires 
to  leave  their  eastern  home.- 
ot  e«  an<ielizinp  the  savage  Iij 
"wilds"  of  Oregon.  The  hist. 
orable  band  has  been  written  b 
missionaries  in  language  more 
complimentary  to  their  compauic 

Dani«  1  Lee  and  J.  H.  Frost  wer.  'O  ol  f  he 
evaugelical  elect  who  were  sent  oot  'brin. 
the  Indians  to  grace,"  and  in  their  'Miti- 

iled  -'Tea  years  in  Oregon,"  they  gi  ■ 

unbiassed  insight  into  the  manner  iu 
the  Master's  service  was  abandoned  b 


urpose 

t»i  dst  the 

rini  mem- 

o  of  these 

hful  than 


HISTORICAT.  SKKTrilM  OF  THR 


••iniMionariM,"  in  onlor  llmt  ilu'V  niij^lit  eii- 
tiT  into  ttie  dUvcry  of  Maimnoii.  The««  gen- 
lUiu.ii  tell  us  lliKt  the  Orejron  mission  invol- 
\f.l  an  expenditure  of  forty-two  tliousantl  <loi- 
Jiiri*  ill  a  single  year,  ami  iio  womltT,  when  there 
wert!  sixty-eigiit  prBCUs  fohnected  witli  the 
••niijisiou"  each  of  them  represented  by  n  rerfs 
l..(iable  array  of  figures  on  the  yearly  pay-roll. 


SKESCS  It. 

(published   KEBKUAKlf    MTH    1878.) 

I'KOTijrANT  Missionary  Laboks  ik  Okkoon. 

,Yf(IlE  Methodists,  Prcsbyterinu?,  nnd  other 
1^  sei-ls,  us  we  liave  already  seen,  wi-rc  rep- 
r.setited  in  Oregon  a?  early  as  1834  by  a  eorps 
<.f  niis-sionaries  ►nfficient  in  number— if  liiey 
(mly  had  a  divine  mission  to  sustain  them 
throughout  their  labors— to  convert  all  llie  In- 
dians from  Arizona  to  Alaska,  but  Dr.  Stephen 
Oliii,  LL.  D..  a  Melhodist  bishop,  tills  ns  ihat 
••very  few  of  the  Indians  came  uuili-r  the  in- 
fluence of  their  labor,'  and  adds  this  rather 
damaging  deelaration  :— "The  niissiouari.s 
were,  in  fact,  mostly  engaged  in  secular  affairs 

concerned  in  claims  to  large  iniclsoi  liiiid, 

<laiius  to  city  lots,  farming,  maichandizing, 
blacksniilhing.  grazing,   horse-keeping.   Imu- 
bcring  and  flouring.     We  do  not  btdieve,"  con- 
tinues  Dr.  Olin,  "that  the  history  of  Chrisluui 
missions  exhibitsanolher  such  spectacle,"  The 
good  Doctor  was  evidently  amazed  al  the  trans- 
formation from  missionaries  of  the  Gospel  into 
land-sharks  and  horse-jockeys.     It  is  no  won- 
d.r.  th;-i,,  llial  lie  tells  ns  "the  mission  became 
iilion.-  lo  the  growing  popiilalion.'  and  he  c»  u- 
flndes  his  evidence  hy  asserting  llial  --of  all 
tlio  Indians  who  had  ever  held  relalionsof  any 
li iud  wi<h  these  men,  none  vow  remain."    This 
i>  not  very  flattering  testimony  for  the  success 
of   Protestant  i>ropagaiidist8  coming  from  a 
I'loiestant  source ;  bnt  "let  the  truth  be  Kdd 
though  the  heavens  fall"  was  evidently  a  prac- 
ili-al  maxim  in  the  mind  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
,  opal  bishop  we  have  quoted.     Nor  need  we 
\\onder  that  missionaries  who  traded  in  horse 


fl.»!i  luid  town  bus,  and  who  had  "oallle  on  n 
thovsanil  hilN  '  should  become  'odioii-*"  to  lh« 
sellhrs  around  them,  whilst  the  Indians  in- 
stead of  seeking  the  light  of  the  Gospel  as  eniin- 
cialed  by  these  holy  horse-tra<lers,  sought  rath- 
er to  retire  to  their  primitive  wigwams  amidst 
the  solitude  of  the  woods 

"where  rolls  the  Oregon 
And  hears  no  sound  save  its  own  dashing," 
than  to  encounter  a  civilization  the  very  preaeh- 
t-rs  of  which  sought  first  the  kingdom  of  this 
world,  and  took  the  chaiuis  of  "all  things 
else"  being  added  thereto.  Kev.G.C.  Nicolay. 
a  minister  of  the  church  of  England,  visited 
this  country  i"  1843  and  has  left  his  impres- 
sions of  what  he  saw  among  the  missionaries 
of  the  Willamette  valley,  in  a  work  entit' 
"The  Oregon  Territory,"  which  we  have  b.  - 
fore  us.  lie  was  evidently  unbiassed  )  his 
judgment  and  speaks  his  mind  only  because 
his  experience  had  received  a  serious  shock  in 
the  manner  in  which  he  found  the  so-called 
missiotuiries  comporting  themselves.  Under 
the  cha^t^r  devoted  to  "settlers  in  Oregon' 
this  aiiihori'y  »a}S  with  truth: — 

"It  se.  ins  but  the  right  and  proiier  order  of 
tliinur*  I  bat  the  niisMionary  In  uncivilized  lands 
sbnultl  lit-  I  be  barldnger  not  only  of  the  bU-sa- 
liiys  of  Ibo  t'liristiaii  religion,  but  of  civiliza- 
tion alfo.  and  tberel'ore  that  he  should  be  fol- 
lowed ill  liirt  track  by  the  settler  and  farmer, 
■Ik   UK  I'll  nic  i.iid  artisan,  who  obtain  as  the 
nv,  ai'i    ot    tlieir   superior    intelligence    and 
kiH.wkd^ie    tlie    wealth    and    iiideijendence 
wliicli  in  tlieirowncoiintrythelrsirapleequal- 
it.v  with  otlurs  could  not  expect;  and  this  is 
jiist,  the  benefit  they  confer  Is  incalculable:  It 
d'.ieM  not  decrease  Its  value  that  others  in  dis- 
tant  lands  possesa  the  aame,  but  rather  in- 
treuses  it  as  tilt  means  whereby  they  may  be 
raised  t  1  the  smie  eminence.    Now,  though 
I  his  is  to  lie  exi^cted  and  desired,  it  has  ever 
bwii  tbouarht  a  just  ground  of  complaint  :•- 
gainst  men  whose  lives  are  devoted  to  the  ser- 
vice of  (iod  ^nd  the  spread  of  His  Gospel,  if 
they  let  other  «R'Cupatioii8  interfere  with  that 
which  ought  lo  be  their  primary  one,  or  seek 
to  make  a  'gain  of  godliiiess;'  and  still  more  If 
the  inlUience  accorded  to  them,  in  congruence 
of  their  important  duty  and  sacred  otnce,  be 
<'onvert<l  into  an  engine  for  political  purposes, 
i.r  Ihev  teach  other  doctrine  with  respiect  to 
our  nel«hbors  than  the  words  of  theuiK>gtle — 
'Follow  peace  with  all  men.'  (Heb.  xfl.  14.) 


Catholic  Church  in  Ohkoi. 


fi 


"lu  rRvUfwiiiK  the  hiittorv  of  the  Mcttleri*  of 
Oreguii,  hII  thid  will  up|H*ar  by  i  heir  own  show- 
iiiKtolieiit  th«<l(Nirof  the  Aiihtlcuii  iniHMlon- 
arien  wh<>  Suve  e««tubliMh«><t  tli^Miwh  -a  ilit-re; 
and  the  iict«i«Hity  for  ilrawiiit<a(t«iiti<  n  to  it  itt 
IIiIm,  that  no  HUtiafiiutory  uuL-ount  of  Or.>);<>n 
could  \>c  nh'tiii  withoutMoine  notieuof  the  Wil- 
luniette  Hettienient,  and  ceituinlv  no  true  hIu- 
tenient  of  uffuirtt  there  can  Ite  gi^en  witliout 
thewi  facts  t>«liiK  referred  to.  In  their  nettlc- 
nienUt  at  Okana(<aii,  Walla  Walla,  Cowlit-% 
and  NeiMiUHlly  th*H  charge  Ih  ho  far  true,  that 
their  princii>al  »t  ;ntion,  at  Lieut.  Wiliiei*  tet*- 
titleM,  tHdevotot'  /aKricnlture,  buton  tlie  Wil- 
lamette they  »  ':  into  political  aKi-hti*  and 
would-be  legl?'  •>«.  TIiIh  the  '>i«tory  tif  th  • 
.s(^>ttlenient  will  nulflciently  evidence."   • 

"From  this  beKinniiiK  the  colony  lucre;  «■• ! 
till  when  Lieutenant  WiiiieH  viHlted  it  in  1  P 
it  counted  sixty  families,  who,  he  »a.\  h,  c.  .. 
Minted  of  American  iniHaionarieH,  trappe.M,  and 
( 'itnadlans,  wlio  were  formerly  servants  of  tlie 
lludcon's  Bay  Co.;  and  that  the  origin  of  llie 
settlement  has  l)een  fairly  stated,  ni.iy  t>e  gutii- 
ere<l  from  the  conclusion  he  arrived  at  coir 
ccrniiij.;  it.  All  of  thee  ippeared  to  t*u  (loing 
well;  but  he  was,  he  says,  'on  the  whole  dis- 
appointed, from  the  rejMirts  which  had  l>een 
made  to  me,  not  to  tiiid  the  settlement  in  a 
greater  state  of  fttrwanlness,  (considering  (lie 
advi'.ntages  the  mijsionaritN  have  had;' — tlius 
making  tlie  prosperity  and  advaiiceiiieiit  of 
the  settlement  depend  in  a  great  iiieaMun-.  if 
not  eniirely,  upr:i  them:  but  that  tlieir  in.s- 
sionary  intentions  have  merged,  in  a  great 
measui-e,  inotliersmon  '(»ely  connected  with 
t'oae  and  <;oiiifort,  Iss  more  plainly  evid- 
enced by  the  followinj.  count  given  oy  him 
uf  tlie  Wesleyi  ii  Mlssl  •  there:  'Tie  land-t  of 
the  Metli(>di><t  Ml  :«loii  are  situate<l  on  the 
banks  of  the  'v  Jl  uuette  river,  on  a  ricli  plain 
ad' •■^eiit  tofli  I'.'vslBof  oak  and  pin.'.  I'liey 
ai  b;>uteight  uiles bey .md  tlie Catuolic  Mis- 
si(  I  asoutheiii  diiXHJtion.  Tlieir  tteid-t  are 
well  enclosed,  and  we  p.wsed  a  large  one  of 
wheat  which  we  undji-stjwd  was  half  s»wn  by 
ilie  last  year's  crop  which  had  leen  lost  thro' 
neglect.  Tlie  crop  so  lost  amounted  to  nearly 
a  thousand  bushels,  and  it  is  su|jp.isc>d  that 
this  year's  crop  will  yield  tweiity-iive  bushels 
to  ihe  aero.  About  all  the  iireiiiises  of  this  mis- 
sion there  wap  an  evident  want  of  the  atten- 
tion rec^uired  to  keep  thlng.s  in  repair,  and  an 
alisenceof  neatness  that  I  regretted  much  to 
witne.ss.  We  had  the  expectation  of  getting  a 
sight  of  the  Indians,  on  wlioiii  they  were  in- 
culcating good  habits  and  te.iching  the  word 
of  God,  but,  V  th  the  exception  of  four  Indian 
servants,  we  saw  none  since  leaving  the  Catli- 
olic  Mission.    0;i  inquiring  1  was  in.'jrraed 


that  they  had  a  »<Ii<niI  of  twenty  pupil«  yoou' 
ten  nilles  distant  at  ilie  mill,  that  tlK're  \«ei'«' 
but  few  tidiilt  Indiiki.B  in  the  n<>igl>lH>rli'>'>il, 
and  ti  attlu-ir  intoiiiioti  .iid  priiici|Mkl  l.upc 
was  to  estaltUsh  a  colony,  ami  by  t  heii  «-.\ample 
to  inducw  white  seitleis  t.>  locate  neir  iliein, 
over  whom  they  iiisied  lo  e*erii«>  a  inirul 
and  religious  inliiieiice.'  " 

"At  theiiiills,  which  were  badlysituatt  d  and 
managed,  he  saw  twenty  lay  inemliers  of  the 
Misflioii  under  the  charge  of  a  principal,  and 
abotii.  tweiity-flve  Indian  lioys,  who,  he  was 
told,  were  not  in  a  condition  to  1m*  visiicd  or 
iiisiiected.  Tlu-y  were  nearly  grown  up,  ratrged 
ami  half  clotheil, and  lounging  about  underthe  ^ 
triv-s.    He  might  well  adil,  "riieirappearaiict'      , 

Maiiytiiingl)UtMallsfuctory,and  I  must  own 
:  was  greatly  disapiMiinti'd,  for  I  had  Iteen  led 
lo  .  xiM-ct  that  order  ami  neatness  at  least  (he 
could  mMn-ely  liave  expected  Ivan)  would  have 
be»'n  fouiiil  animiir  them.  muMiih'rin;/  tlie  utrrnxj   v' 
f'onrof  inis! iiiDiiritsi luiniiiil lu  II .  From  theniim-    ^ 
iter  of  iH-rHiins  alH>ut  the  premises  tills  Ultle    « 
spot  wore  the  air  and  stir  of  a  newaeculu  '  set-     * 
tleineiit.     It  was  intended  (o  Ite  the  home  and  <,^ 
i(H-a(l(>n  of  (be  nii&sion,  and  the  niiMsionaries  ^ 
had  niudc  individual  sihctitniK  of  lands  to  thea- 
mountofor.x  thousand  acicseach,  in  proHpeci 
of  the  whole  country  falling  under  the  Amer- 
ica)! domiiiioii. 

Hohllng  tlicse  \W\\k  and  with  such  interests 
to  incite  them,  it  is  not  surprising  to  tlnd  these 
mis-sionaries  among  the  first  to  excite  |>olitical 
changes,  and  to  introduce  the eonse«|ueut  dis- 
cussions and  dissensions." 

Such  is  ihe  character  of  the  work  inuugu- 
rated  by  nii-ssionaries  who  left  the  Atlantic 
slope  under  tlic  liallucinatiou  tliat  tliey  were 
called  to  preach  sal  vat  ion  to  i!:ose  that  sat 
in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  but 
whose  trading  propensities  overcame  tlie'r  re- 
ligious zeal,  until  finally  the  cause  ofChrio'- 
anity  was  wrecked  on  the  shoals  of  self-ag- 
gradizeraeui. 

The  foregoing  extracts,  taken  entn.ly  'rom 
impartial  Protestant  sources,  will  give  iji"  ^n- 
eral  reader  a  very  lucid  view  of  the  "severe 
trials"  whicli  the  early  Protestant  mi.ssionariea 
underwent  in  their  so-called  ^'missionary  la- 
bor" in  Oregon,  but  we  have,  by  no  meau^, 
exhausted  the  evidence  extaut  on  that  score, 
as  Hon.  Alexander  Simpson,  in  his  work  en- 
titled "The  Oregon  Territory"  tells  us,  iu  al- 
lusion to  the  Methodist  and  Catholic  missions 
in  the  Willamette  valley,  that  "the  latter  con- 


^ 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES  OP  THB 


sisted  of  about  one  hundred  families,  a  very 
regular  congregation,  ministered  1o  by  Mgr. 
Blanchet,  a  most  estimitble  and  indefatigable 
priest  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,"  whilst  the 
Methodist  Mission,  he  adds,  consisted  of /our 
families :  a  clergyman,  a  surgeon,  a  school- 
master and  an  agriculturnl  overseer."  Evi- 
dently the  temporal  welfare  of  the  well-fed 
Protestant  missionaries  was  far  more  iniport- 
aut  in  their  own  estimation  than  any  spiritual 
comforts  which  they  pretended  to  extend  to 
the  Indians. 


(published    FEBRUARY    21  ST    1878.) 

Origin  of  the  Canadian  Mission  in  Oregon, 

BEFORE  THAT  OF  THE    FlATHEADS. 

■TPN  the  mean  time  the  Canadians  who  had  set- 
'1  tied  in  the  Willamette  valley  began  to  pine 
for  the  presence  of  a  priest  in  their  midst.  The 
nearest  bishop  to  whom  they  could  apply  was 
the  venerable  prelate  of  Bed  River;  they  sent 
him  two  petitions,  one  dated  July  :}rd  1834, 
and  the  other  February  23rd  1835,  earnestly 
praying  for  some  priests.  In  answering  tliem, 
July  8111  1835,  the  bishop,  addressing  the  gov- 
ernor, requests  him  to  deliver  them  his  letter. 
Those  documents  are  too  precious  and  too  inte- 
resting to  be  omitted,  therefore  we  insert  them. 

The  Bishop  of  Juliopolis  to  Dk.  John 
McLauohlin. 

Red  Klvei-,June()th  1835. 
To  Dr.  J.  McLaughlin. 

Hir:  I  iuive  rect'ived  last  winter  and  this 
suriMg  a  wtitioM  from  certain  free  families  set- 
tled on  the  Willamette  river,  requcstiuit  that 
inis-'iormrii'si  be  sent  to  ir.struct  tlielr  children 
•111(1  lheMi-*elve«.  My  Intention  Is  to  «lo  all  1 
c  m  to  grant  them  their  rerjuest  us  soon  as  pos- 
sible 1  have  no  priest  disposable  at  Red  River, 
but  1  am  g:)lng  this  year  to  Euro|)e,  and  I  will 
en<U-!ivoi'  l<>  procure  those  fi-ee  people  and  the 
Indi  ins  afterwards,  the  means  of  knowing 
Go.l  1  send  togi'ther  with  this  letter  an  an- 
swer to  the  petition  which  I  have  rece'ved;  I 
re(i'i«--<  von  to  delivei-  It  to  them;  I  add  some 
eateiiiisins  which  might  l»e  useful  to  those  peo- 


ple. If  there  is  any  one  among  them  thit  cm 
read.    Tiiose  people  say  they  are  protected  by 
you.     I'lease  Indnr-e  them  to  do  their  best,  and 
to  (k'scive  liy  giwid  behavior,  to  derive  benettt 
from  the  f.ivor  they  Implore. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be.  Sir, 
Your  most  humble  servant, 
^  J.  N.  Provencher, 

Bishop  of  Juliopolis. 

The  Bishop  ok  Juliopoms  to  all  the 

families  SETTLED  IN  THE  WILLAMETTE 
VALLEY  AND  OTHER  CATHOLICS  BEYO  ^  D 

THE  Rocky  Mountains,  Greeting: — 

I  have  received,  most  beloved  brethren,  your 
two  |)etition8,  one  dated  July  3d  1834,  and  the 
other  February  2Hd  1835.  Both  call  for  mis- 
sionaries to  instruct  your  children  and  your- 
se'.v.s.  Such  a r.quest  from  persons deprlvetl 
of  all  religious  attendance,  could  not  fall  to 
touch  my  heart,  and  if  it  was  In  my  power,  I 
would  send  you  some  this  very  year.  But  I 
have  no  priest  disposable  at  Red  River;  they 
must  be  obtained  from  Canada  or  elsewhere, 
which  requTes  tlmo.  I  will  make  It  my  bus 
inesa  in  a  jiuirney  which  1  am  going  to  make 
this  .year  in  Canada  and  in  Europe.  If  I  sue- 
fi  din  my  efforts,  1  will  soon  send  you  some 
lie  In. 

Mvlntcntion  Is  not  to  procure  the  knowledge 
of  God  to  you  and  vour  children  only,  but  also 
to  the  nunieious  Indian  tribes  among  which 
you  live.    I  exhort  you  meanwhile  to  deserve, 
by  a  >f  ood  l)ehavlor,  that  Got!  may  bless  my  un- 
dertakiug.     R  use  your  children  the  best  way 
vou  can.    Teach  them  what  you  know  of  re- 
ligion.   But  remember,  my  dear  brethren,  that 
ihe  proper  means  of  procuring  to  your  children 
and  your  wives  some  notion  of  God  and  the  re- 
ligion vou  profess,  is  to  >{lve  them  good  exam- 
ple, by  a  life  moderate  and  exempt  from  the 
great  disorders  which  exist  among  the  Chris- 
tians l)evond  the  niouotaiiiH.    What  idea  do 
you  give"«»f  God  and  of  the  ;  c-llgion  you  profess, 
to  the  Indians  esiwclaHy,  who  see  in  you,  who 
are  calling  yourselves  the  servants  of  t  hat  great 
God,  dlsfirders  which  etiual,  and  perhaps  sur- 
pass their  own?    Yon  thereby  prejudice  them 
uyalnst  our  holy  religion  which  you  violate. 
When  this  same  religion,  which  condemns  all 
crime,  shall  ite  preached  to  them,  the  Indiana 
will  object  the  wicked  conduct  of  those  who 
profess  it  as  a  protest  not  to  embrace  it.    On 
receiving  thl«  letter  which  apprizes  you  that 
probably  you  will  soon  receive  the  priest  whom 
you  seem  to  pray  for  earnestly,  renounce  then 
at  «)nce  sin;  l)egin  to  lead  a  life  more  conform- 
able to  your  belief.  In  order  that,  when  tha 
mlsslunarieti  will  arrive  among  you,  they  wiU 


c5UJ     ^.     ^, 

Catholic  Church  in  Orkgon. 


<rv>— «— ^,^»^  \i 


iZji^  ,<^-u^>^, 


^f^~f 


find  you  dispdeed  to  avail  yourselves  of  the  in- 
structions and  other  religious  assititance  which 
they  shall  brin^  you.  1  wiub  God  niaj'  touch 
your  hearts  and  change  them.  My  greatest 
consolation  would  be  to  loam  hereafter  that 
as  soon  as  this  letter  was  read  to  you,  you  be- 
gan to  pay  a  little  more  attention  to  the  great 
affair  or  your  salvation. 

Given  at  St.  Boniface  of  Red  R!ver,  on  the 
Sthday  of  June  1835. 

^  J.  N.  Provencheb, 

Bishop  of  Juliopolis. 

Demand  or  a  Passage  for  two  Priests. 

The  only  aieansofcounnunication  from  Can- 
ada to  Oregon  being  in  the  hands  of  the  Hud- 
son Bay  Co.,  by  scndiug  every  year  a  unmber 
of  canoes  laden  with  goods  and  conducted  by  a 
number  of  Canadian  voyageurs,  the  bishop  of 
Juliopolis  made  an  application  for  the  pas^iH^^e 
of  two  priests  in  one  of  the  cauoes  to  Oregon, 
with  the  design  of  forming  an  establishmeut  in 
the  Willamette  valley.  To  this  last  point  the 
Governor  and  Committee  in  London  objected, 
but  would  grant  a  passage  on  the  condition 
that  the  priests  would  form  their  establishment 
on  the  Cowlitz  river.  The  bisliop  of  Juliopolis 
having  complied  with  the  suggestion,  Sir  Geo. 
Simpson  wrote  to  the  archbishop  of  Q;iebcc, 
that  if  the  two  priests  would  be  ready  at  La- 
chine  to  embark  for  the  interior  about  the  25th 
of  April,  a  passage  would  be  aflPorded  them. 
The  following  is  the  correspondence  on  the 
subject : — 

LkttebofSih  OkoroeSimp^ox,  (!ov- 

KRNOR  OF  THE  HirDSt)>?  BaY  Co.  IS  THE 

Interior,  to  his  Lordship  the  Akch- 

RI8HOP  OF  QUEHEC. 

Hudson's  Bay  House,  London, 

Feb.  17th  1838. 

"My  Lord:  1  yesterday  had  the  honor  of 
re(soiviim  a  letter  fioiii  the  iji^hopof  Juiio|)olis, 
dattd  Red  River,  Octolier  13th,  1837,  wherein 
I  am  requested  to  oininunicate  with  your 
Lofilsliip.on  t he snliject  of  sending  two  priests 
to  tlio  Colundtia  river  for  tlie  purpoeeof  estab- 
It  ;l;iiiu'  a  Catholic  Misalon  In  that  part  of  the 
countiy. 

"VVlien  tlie  liirflirn)  first  mentioned  this  sub- 
ject. Ills  view  WHS  to  fiirni  the  Mission  on  the 
banks  of  the  Willamette,  a  river  falling  in  the 
Columliia  from  the  south.    To  the  establish- 


ing of  a  Mission  there,  the  Governor ii ml  (.*(  in- 
niittee  in  London,  and  the  Council  in  Ili.d- 
son's  Bay,  had  a  decided  ol.jiction,  as  the  so- 
vereignty of  tliat  country  is  ^till  undeeide<l; 
but  L  l"^t  summer,  intimated  to  the  bishop 
that  if  he  would  estaldisli  the  Mission  on  the 
banks  of  the  Cowlitz  river,  or  on  the  Cowlitz 
Portage,  falling  into  the  Colnmbiu  from  ilie 
noitliward,  and  give  his  assurance  that  the 
missionaries  would  not  hieate  thtiiiselves  on 
thesouthsideof  the  Columbia  river,  but  would 
form  their  establishment  where  the  Co's  rejj- 
nsentatives  might  point  out  as  the  most  eli- 
gible situation  on  the  north  side,  I  should  rec- 
ommend the  Governor  and  Committee  to  af- 
ford a  passage  to  the  priests,  and  such  faculties 
t<>wariis  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the 
object  in  view  us  would  not  involve  any  gre-Jt 
inconvenience  or  expense  to  the  Co's  service. 
"By  the  letter  received  yesterday,  already 
ulludetl  to,  the  bishop  enters  fully  into  my 
views,  and  express*^  his  willifigness  to  fall  in 
\\  ith  my  suggestions.  That  letter  I  have  laid 
before  the  Goveriior  and  Committee,  and  am 
now  instructed  to  intiunite  to  yv>nr  Lordship 
that  if  the  priests  will  be  ready  at  Lacbine  to 
embarli  for  the  interior  about  the  25th  of  April, 
a  pass:ige  will  l>e  afforded  them,  and  on  arrival 
at  Fort  ViiiKouver  measures  will  !«  taken  by 
the  Co's  representative  there  to  facilitate  the 
establishing  of  the  Mi^sioll,  and  the  carrying 
Into  effect  the  olgetls  thereof  generally. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  my  Lord, 

Your  Lordship's  most  obedient  servant, 

Geo.  Simpson. 

Appointment  of  Missionaries. 

The  archbishop  of  Quebec  had  no  sooner 
received  the  foregoing  letter  than  he  immedi- 
ately gave  the  charge  of  the  Mission  of  Ore- 
gon to  Rev.  Francis  Norbert  Blanchet,  then 
curi  dea  Vedres,  district  of  Montreal,  by  send- 
ing him  letters  of  Vicar  General  under  the 
date  of  April  17th  1838,  and  instructions  bear- 
ing the  same  date.  His  companion.  Rev.  Mo- 
deste  Demers,  who  was  already  at  Red  River, 
was  to  be  named  by  the  bishop  of  Juliopolis. 
The.se  instructions  were  as  follows: — 

Instructions  oivkn  to  V'ery  Rev.  F. 

N.  BliANCHBT  and  REV.  M.  DEMEBS,  AP- 
POINTED Mission ARIF.8  for  that  part 
OF  THE  Diocese  op  Quebec  WHirn  is 

SITUATED  BETWEEN  THE  PACIFICOCKAN 
AND  THE  ROCKV  MOUNTAINS. 

31 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES  OF  THB 


April  17tb  1838. 

My  Rev.  Fathers. 

You  must  connider  as  the  first  ohject  of  your 
Mission  to  withdraw  from  barbarity  and  I  he 
disorders  which  it  produces,  the  Indians  scat- 
tered in  that  country. 

Yourseciuid  oiilet-t  is,  to  tender  your  services 
to  tlie  wicked  Christians  who  have  adopUni 
there  the  vices  of  Indians,  and  live  in  licen- 
tiousness and  the  forgetfulnessof  their  duties. 

Persuaded  that  tlie  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
is  the  surest  means  «>f  obtaining  these  happy 
results,  you  will  lose  no  opportunity  of  incul- 
cating its  principles  and  maxims,  either  in 
your  private  conversations  or  public  instiuc- 

tions.  .  ... 

In  order  to  make  yourselves  sooner  useful  to 
the  natives  of  the  country  where  you  are  sent, 
vou  will  apply  vourselves,  as  soon  as  you  ai- 
rive,  to  the  study  of  the  Indian  languages,  and 
will  endeavor  to  reduce  them  to  regular  prin- 
ciples, so  as  to  be  able  to  publish  a  grammar 
after  some  years  of  residence  there. 

You  will  prepare  for  baptism,  with  all  pos- 
sible expediticiu,  the  infidel  women  who  live 
ill  concubinage  with  Christians,  in  oruer  to 
substitute  lawful  marriages  for  these  irregular 

ui'l'^ns.  .  ^   ,     .,1.  ,  , 

You  will  take  a  particular  care  of  the  Christ- 
ian education  of  children,  establishing  for  that 
purpose,  schools  and  catechism  classes  in  all 
the  villages  which  you  will  have  the  occasion 

to  visit.  ...      ..      .    . 

In  all  the  places  remarkable  eillier  lor  then- 
iiosition  or  the  passage  of  the  voyagers,  or  the 
fathering  of  Indians,  you  will  plant  cnwses, 
«o  as  to  take  possession  of  those  various  places 
in  the  name  of  the  Catholic  religion.  *  *  * 
Given  at  Quelicc  ou  the  17th  of  April,  1838. 
^  Joseph  Sign  AY, 

Bishop  of  Qiiclec. 


(published  FEBRUARY  28th    1878.) 

Journey  of  the  Mie^ioNARiES  from 
Lachimb  to  Fort  Vancouvkr. 

t  CCOMPANIED  by  chief  trader  Har-jrave, 

\  Vicar  General  F.  N.  Blanchet  embarked 

hi  one  of  the  light  bark  canoes  carrying  the 

express  of  ll\e  Hudson  Bay  Company,  leaving 

Montreal  on  Thursday,  May  :3rd  1838,  reach- 


ing Fort  Vancouver  on  the  24th  of  the  follow- 
ing November.  The  journey  from  La^Mne  to 
Red  River  (2,100  niili's)  was'  made  in  caii.-"'8, 
with  occasional  portages,  in  thirty-three  days. 
The  journey  from  Red  River  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains  (2,025  miles)  occupied  eighty-four 
days,  including  detentions.  The  river  route 
was  made  in  eleven  light  barges  and  the  land 
trip — occupying  five  day  8 — was  made  on  horse- 
back Horses  were  also  used  in  making  the 
tedious  trip  across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  from 
Jasper's  House  to  Boat  Encami)inent  or  Big 
Bend  on  the  Coluuibia  river.  This  trip  occu- 
pied nine  days,  a  band  of  seventy-two  horses 
being  provided  for  the  use  of  the  company.  It 
took  six  days  to  make  the  ascent  on  the  East- 
i-rn  slope,  and  three  days  to  descend  to  the 
plains  on  the  Pacific  side,  but  the  missionaries 
were  well  repaid  for  tlie  toils  they  underwent 
in  the  gramleur  of  the  scenery  that  surrounded 
thei.i  at  every  step.  The  remainder  of  the 
journey,  from  Big  Bend  to  Fort  Vancouver 
(about  1.200  miles)  was  made  in  light  boats 
down  the  Columbia  river. 

Vicar  General  Blanchet,  having  passed  35 
days  at  Red  River,  took  his  departure  in  com- 
pany .vith  Rev.  Modeste  Demerson  July  10th, 
slopping  en  route  at  Norway  House  and  Forts 
Constant,  Cumberland,  ('arleton,  Pitt  and  Ed- 
innudton  on  the  Saskatchewan,  and  Fort  As- 
siniboine  and  Jasper's  House  on  the  Athabaska 
river.     During  this  journey  the  missionaries 
baptized  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  on  the 
Eastern  slope  aud  fifty-three  on  the  Western. 
After  passing  the  snmniit  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains the  missionaries  stopped  at  the  House  of 
the  L  '  "S  and  Forts  Colville,  O'Kauagan,  and 
Walla    Walla,    at   each  of  which    immense 
crowds  of  Indians  af  sembled  in  order  to  behold 
the  Black-gowns  whose  presence  they  so  long 
waited  lor.     During  this  long  and  tedious  trip 
the  missionaries  had  the  happiness  of  cele- 
brating Mass  and  delivering  an  instruction 
every  Sunday,  and  ou  every  day  at  which  they 
sojourned  at  the  Forts  on  their  route.     By  this 
means  the  consolations  of  our  holy  religion 
were  bestowed  on  many  Catholics  who  for 
years  had  been  strangers  to  the  presence  of  a 
|iriest. 


MN 


m 


Catholic  Cbvbch  im  Orkoon. 


9 


GONBBCKATION  OP  THB  RoCKT  MoCNTAINS 

TO  God.  ,  FmsT  Mass  m  Oregon. 

As  the  summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountaius  was 
to  be  reached  and  crosBed  ou  Wednesday  the 
10th  of  October,  the  missionaries  thought  it 
iiicunibeut  upon  them  to  celebrate  Mass,  and 
pronounce  the  glorious  words  whiclj  make  the 
God-man  descend  upon  earth,  in  thanksgiving 
for  God's  protection  and  favors,  and  to  con- 
ecrate,  in  a  special  manner,  to  their  Author 
these  sublime  Rocky  Mountains  which  by  their 
•rrandeur  and  sublimity  seem  anxious  to  cor- 
rejipond  to  the  invitation  of  Holy  Scripttire : 
>'0  ye  mountains  and  hills,  bless  the  Lord  ; 
praise  and  exalt  Him  aboi^e  all  forever.  "(Dan. 
iii.  15.)  The  country  or  region  of  the  Rm-ky 
Mountains  appeared  as  a  vasl^  sea  of  number- 
less isolated  high  mountains,  and  abrupt  peakf 
of  all  shapes,  where  the  eye  of  the  traveler  fan- 
cies seeing  here  and  there  perfect  t(»wers,  beau- 
tiful turrets,  strong  castles,  walls  and  fortifica- 
tions of  all  kinds ;  as  well  as  barren  heights 
which  forms  the  base  of  higher  hills  and  moun- 
tains raising  majestically  their  lofty  heads  to 
heaven.  Magnificent  indeed  is  the  spectacle 
displayed  before  the  eyes  of  the  voyagers  in 
•he  greatness  of  the  gigantic  nature  where  the 
hand  of  the  Eternal  was  pleased  to  retrace  the 
image  of  His  creative  power.  Early  on  that 
day  therefore,  at  8  a.  m.  the  vicar  general  cele- 
brated the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  to  con- 
secrate to  their  Creator  these  mountaius  and 
abrupt  peaks  whose  prodigious  heiglils  ascend 
towards  heaven  to  celebrate  in  such  beautiful 
language  the  praise  of  the  Almighty. 

It  was  ou  Saturday,  the  13  of  October,  a  day 
dedicated  to  the  Immaculate  Mother  of  God, 
that,  being  at  the  western  foot  of  the  most  lofty 
mountains,  the  two  missionaries  began  to  tread 
beueath  their  feet  the  long-desired  land  of  Or- 
egon; that  portion  of  the  vineyard  alloted  them 
for  cultivation.  Filled  with  joy  they  retired  a 
short  distance  from  the  place  where  the  car- 
avan was  resting  oo  the  bosom  of  a  beautiful 
prairie,  aud  there  fell  ou  their  knees,  embraced 
the  soil,  took  possession  of  it,  dedicated  aud 
oousecraled  their  persons,  soul  and  body,  tu 
whatever  God  would  be  pleased  to  require  of 
them  for  the  glory  of  His  holy  Name,  the  prop- 


agRtion  of  His  kingdom  and  the  fulfillment  of 
His  will.  The  caravan  joyfully  reached  Big 
Bend  towards  the  evening.  The  fact  of  find- 
ing there  but  t  wo  boats  insieud  of  four  required, 
grcntly  checked  the  joy  of  all.  The  captain 
of  the  expedition  decided  that  one  thii*d  of  the 
parly  should  remain  until  the  rest  having 
reached  the  House  of  the  Lakes  one  ox  the 
boats  would  return  to  their  relief. 

The  following  day  (Oct.  14lh  1888)  being 
Sunday,  it  was  on  that  day  that  the  holy  sac- 
rifice of  the  Mass  was  offered  for  the  first  time 
in  Oregon  at  Big  Bend,  ou  the  banks  of  the 
dangerous  and  perilous  Columbia.  At  this 
greflt  act  of  religion,  performed  by  Rev.  M. 
Demers,  the  two  missioimries  being  much 
moved,  consecrated  themselves  to  the  Queen  of 
angels,  imploring  her  special  protection  for  the 
rest  of  the  voyage.  The  boats  being  laden  and 
rea<ly,  aud  the  last  prayer  made  on  the  shore, 
the  two  missionaries  shook  hands  with  their 
dear  companions  whom,  alas  !  they  were  to  see 
no  more,  and  started  at  1  p.  m.  on  the  tnrbu- 
leiii  waters  of  I  he  upper  Columbia.  Therange 
of  mountains  lowering,  as  it  were,  amphithe- 
atrically,  continues  from  BigBeitd  to  the  lakes. 
The  days  are  short  in  so  deeply  embanked  s 
river  which  runs  fifteen  miles  an  hour,  in  h 
succession  of  rapids  or  rather  cascades.  The 
distance  from  Big  Bend  to  the  House  of  the 
Lakes  is  105  miles,  which  were  run  in  ten 
hours :  two  hours  ou  the  14th,  six  on  the  lath, 
and  two  on  the  IGih  of  October. 

The  rapid  of  the  Dalles  of  the  Dead  is  a  nar- 
row channel  turning  nearly  at  right  angles  on 
the  left  rocky  high  bank.  The  boats  must 
keep  close  to  the  pcint  of  the  left  bank  in  order 
to  avoid  being  rushed  into  the  infuriate  waves. 
That  dangerous  rapid  was  run  down  safely  on 
the  15th,  the  boats  being  light  with  baggage 
and  passengers,  aud  well  managed  by  eight 
men,  six  at  the  oars,  one  at  the  stern,  and  the 
other  at  the  prow  with  long  and  large  paddles 
used  as  rudders. 

EIOUTKKM  DATS  AT  THK  HoUSE  OF  THE  LaKES. 

Fik  1  MissiuNAKY  Labors  IM  Orboon. 

LOflS  OP  I'WKLVE  Ll\  E8. 

Tbt  boats  w«re  do  sooner  arrived  at  the 


1/ 


10 


HI8T0BICAL   9KF.TCHE3  OF  THE 


House  of  the  Lakes  that  one  of  theiu  was  iiu- 
loaded,  and  sent  back  to  the  relief  of  the  party 
left  behind.  The  House  of  the  Lakes  beiuj? 
still  in  construction,  the  missior  .rieseucainped 
as  usual  under  their  tents.  The  first  week 
was  spent  iu  prayer,  celebration  of  I  he  Mass, 
teaching  the  Indians,  singiii<r  canticles  and 
evening  exercises.  The  Indians  of  the  Lakes 
soon  came  to  visit  the  priests,  anxious  as  they 
were  to  see  and  hear  the  black-gowns  so  often 
spoken  of  by  the  Canadians.  They  were  found 
to  be  of  a  mild,  peaceable  character  an<l  well 
disposed  to  receive  the  words  of  salvation. 
They  being  the  first  sheep  of  the  vast  fold  en- ' 
trusted  to  their  care,  the  missionaries  took 
pleasure  in  instructing  them,  speaking  of  God, 
t  f  the  creation,  of  tHe  fall  of  angels  and  man, 
and  of  the  Redemption  by  the  Con  of  God. 
The  Indians  listened  with  attention,  assisting 
at  Mass  with  awe;  and  before  the  return  of 
the  boat,  they  brought  their  children  (17)  to 
be  baptized,  regretting  not  to  have  the  same 
happiness  to  make  their  hearts  good.  It  was 
painful  to  the  missionaries  to  leave  them  ua- 
ba   Jzed. 

When  the  day  on  which  the  boat  was  ex- 
pected had  passed  without  its  arrival,  a  gloomy 
presentiment  began  to  seize  the  heiris  of  ull. 
It  increased  iu  intensity  the  following  day.  At 
last,  on  (he  •24th  at  the  CDiicliision  of  Muss,  a 
boat  appeared  afar  off,  half  broken,  coming  in 
mourning,  iv'iliout  the  usn-il  joyful  cliant  at 
arriving.  Tlie  men  were  hardly  able  to  move 
their  oars.  As  the  boat  approached  all  ran  to 
the  shore.  At  the  sight  of  so  fuw  m  n,  wo- 
men and  children,  a  heart-rending  spectacle 
took  place ;  an  indescribable  scene  of  d  wola- 
liou  and  shedding  of  tears  began  ;  cries  and 
piercing  lamentations  were  long  heard  and 
echoed  bv  the  nei:rhbi)ring  mountains.  For, 
alas  !  the  boat  had  capsized,  and  out  of  twenty- 
six  souls,  twelve  had  perished. 

At  Big  Bend  the  boat  was  found  too  much 
embarrassed  with  baggage  ;  room  was  hardly 
left  for  pasreu/ors.  At  the  datigerniis  Dalles, 
all  went  ashor-.  w'l'h  only  a  portion  of  the  bag- 
gage. The  bo  it  starttMl,  struck  a  rock,  filled, 
but  was  brongli'  o'l  s'mru.  Having  been  emp- 
tied and  reloaded,  the  tur  packi^cs  left  in  the 
bullom    having  got  wet,    rendt  -d   the  boat 


heavier.  The  passeuj-ers  embarked  with  the 
greatest  repugnance.  On  the  next  rapid  the 
boat  filled  up  again.  Then  commenced  a  scene 
of  desolation  and  dread  with  cries  nnd  scream- 
ing of  women  and  children.  The  pilot  com- 
manded all  to  remain  still,  as  they  were  ap- 
proaching the  «hore.  But  Mr.  Wallace^  an 
English  botanist,  pidled  off  his  coat,  stood  up, 
put  one  foot  on  the  side  of  the  boat  and  leaped 
into  the  water  wi'h  his  young  wife ;  the  boat 
lost  its  balance  and  upset,  and  of  twenty-six 
persons  sirnggling  in  the  water,  twelve  lost 
their  lives,  ^  ailace  and  his  wife  iu  the  num- 
oer.  Some  reached  the  shore,  others  were 
saved  on  the  keel  of  the  boat  which  fortunately 
fastened  itself  on  a  rock  three  or  four  feet  deep 
at  the  head  of  a  rapid.  This  calamity  hap- 
pened in  the  dnsk  of  the  evening.  The  body 
of  a  chiW  was  found  caught  under  the  boat. 
Sad,  long  and  excruciating  w^^s  the  night.  The 
next  day,  the  boat  having  been  repaired,  the 
siirvivers  continued  their  sorrowful  journey. 


(published  march  7th  1878.) 

Missionary  Labors  at  Colville,  O'Kanaoan 
AND  Walla  Walla. 

"•f  S  soon  as  the  ill-fated  boat  had  arrived,  an 
^1%  Indian  canoe  was  dispatched  to  Colville 
for  a  boat  and  provisions,  which  had  become 
so  scarce  as  to  threaten  starvation  and  oblige 
each  to  receive  a  daily  allowance.  The  repaired' 
boat  was  sent  the  following  day  to  the  scene 
of  desolation,  to  look  for,  and  bring  down  the 
dead  bodies  of  the  lost  friends.  It.  brought 
down  only  the  bodies  of  three  children  to  whom 
were  given  a  solemn  Christian  burial.  Wood- 
en CI  osses  were  blessed  and  placed  over  their 
graves. 

The  express  boat  which  had  left  for  Colville 
ou  the  16th  had  returned  ;  the  one  sent  for  i>v 
an  Indian  express  had  also  arrived  with  pro- 
visions ;  there  were  then  two  good  boats.  All 
being  ready  and  the  missionaries  biddingadieu 
to  the  good  Indians  of  the  lakes,  the  caravan 
left  ou  November  Srd  the  House  of  the  Lakes, 


Catholic  Church  in  Oukoon. 


11 


where  llie  Irtst  ten  days  of  sojoiirniog  h\f\  been 
go  sorrowful,  and  reached  Colville  on  ih'*  6ih. 
Tin;  exiiress  boat  had  aniioiinfed  the  ooiniii-j; 
of  lln!  /Iinrkgowni.;  the  news  had  spread  like 
lij^htuiii^,  hence  the  gathering  there  of  the 
chief*  i)f  fi.e  uationa.  As  soon  ii  ;  they  !*aw 
the  hoiilft  coining  they  riisbed  lo  the  shore  and 
placing  themselves  in  file,  men,  women  and 
children,  they  begged  to  tone!)  tlie  hands  of  the 
priests,  which  ceremou  took  a  ioiig  time.  A 
large  house  having  been  placed  at  their  disoo- 
sal,  they  nsed  it  to  assemble  the  Indians  in, 
and  g  »ve  them  all  the  instrnction  they  could, 
during  the  short  time  of  four  days  they  ent 
Rt  this  ]U)st. 

Having  baptized  nineteen  persons  and  cele- 
brated Mass  before  the  chiefs  ".nd  the--  people, 
who  assisted  at  the  sacred  mysteries  as  if  i  1- 
rcady  fervent  Christians,  the  missionaries  left 
Colville  on  November  the  10th  and  reached 
Fort  G  Kanagan  on  the  I3lh,  after  having 
j)a8sed  through  many  dangerous  rat)i<ls,  dalles 
and  portages.  During  the  twenty-four  hours 
ihey  remained  at  this  post,  they  had  occasion 
to  be  convinced  that  ihe  Indians  who  fre- 
quemed  it  needed  only  what  is  required  in  or- 
der to  become  good  Christians.  Fourleen  bap- 
tisms were  made,  and  one  Mass  celebraled  at 
this  Fort.  Leaving  Fort  0'Kanaj>«n  on  No- 
vember 14th,  they  readied  Fort  Walla  V/uIIh 
(now  Wallula^  on  Sunday  morning,  the  IHih. 
During  the  twenly-iour  hours  they  remained 
at  this  post  they  had  three  baptisms,  celebrated 
one  Mass,  and  were  visited  by  the  Walla  Walla 
andCayuse  India. :s,  who,  liaving  heitrd  liy  the 
express  of  the  coo'ing  of  the  priests,  hail  come 
to  see  and  hear  them  on  their  passage,  not- 
withslai.ding  the  contrary  orders  of  the  Head 
of  the  Wailalpu  mission.  Holy  Mass  was  cele- 
brated before  the  Indians,  who  assisted  at  it 
struck  with  amiizeineut.  In  so  short  a  time 
the  priests  could  give  them  btii  a  short  explan- 
ation of  tlie  most  necessary  iru'hs  of  salvation. 

As  this  is  the  closing  chapter  descriptive  of 
the  (rip  (.-f  ihe  missionaries  across  the  plains, 
;»n(i  as  our  recital  liereafier  will  be  iniiinly 
ih'voled  to  events  and  incidents  which  trans- 
pired during  the  residence  (;rthe  missionaries 
in  the  Northwest,  we  think  it  desirable  to  iii- 
.>o't   the   following  interesting   letter  of  his 


Grace  Most  Rev.  Francis  Norbert  lilanchet, 
then  vicar  get.  eral,  to  tlie  archbishop  of  Quebec, 
desc-ribing  in  detail  the  daily  incidents  of  the 
journey  across  the  plains  and  the  arrival  of 
the  missioiuiries  at  V'aucouvt  r. 

LiCTTKROF  VICAR  OKNKH.AI,  BlA.NCHET 
T()HIsL()l!I>8HIPj<)SEI'H8mNAY,AHCH- 
Bti^IlOI'  OK  QUKHKf,  <JIVlNO  AN  ACCOUNT 
OK  THK  JOtRNKY  OF  THK  MISSIONARIES 
TO  ORECiON. 

Fort  Vancouver,  March  17th,  1S39. 

Mv  LoRn:  It  is  for  me  a  very  sweet  and 
agreeable  tjisk,  toseiid  to  your  liordslilp  r  ews 
from  the  two  iiiissioiiarlch  wlioiii,  in  your  zeal 
for  Ibesalv.itlon  of  I  be  souls  entrusted  to  your 
(listoi!  1  n)Iicitudc,  y«.u  have  sent  to  Oregon, 
to  (  uliivaic  the  vircyard  ot  tl  e  Lord.  After 
numerous  lutioships  jind  fatigues,  dangers  by 
land  and  wa'cr,  in  our  journey  across  the  con- 
tin<  nt,  ve  Imve  the  pleasure,  Kev.  Deniersand 
T,  to  annoiiiice,  with  love  and  gratitude  to- 
wards God  iind  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  that 
we  nave  reached  Inippily  theend  of  ourvoyage, 
yet  not  witln.ut  losing  twelve  of  our  compan- 
i(  i-,s,  di«  wi  «il  in  the  Colunibia  river.  Please 
join  in  «  nr  tl  t;ilifgivinf.'8  to  Gcd  for  the  pro- 
tection and  caie  of  His  rr«)vidence  over  us. 

As  t'l  <  n  !K  ve  airlvtd,  we  vient  to  work. 
'11  ♦•f.e!d  is  v:l^t,olir(  (cupationsaretiumerous, 
1  have  sciKely  lime  to  write.  But  I  know 
with  wbiit  imxiety  ai  d  interest  your  Lordship 
isex|  cctiiigM  n;e  i  oti  sregiirdingourjouruey, 
tlu-  ■ountiy.  tlie  lattors  begun  and  the  bouea 
given  l)y  the  Oregon  mission.  May  the  inu)r- 
nialioii  I  am  going  to  give  satisfy  your  expect- 
ation aiitl  till  tlieardent  desires  which  you  In- 
ces9;iiiily  feel  f  >r  y<  ur  Hock. 

I  willliegin  with  an  account  of  my  trip  from 
Lacbine  to  Ileil  River  (St  Boniface"),  where  I 
had  to  stop  to  receive  the  orders  of  Mgr.  Pro- 
vencher,  bishop  of  Julio|  olis,  and  to  take  along 
Rev.  M.  Demeis,  my  traveling  companion,  al- 
•^jady  therefor  a  >ear.  I  left  Montreal,  Thurs- 
■  v  'May  3rd  18S3.    The  700  leagues  from  that 

y  to  Red  River  were  travele<l  in  aH  days, 

•ivliig  arrived  there  on  tbetitb  day  of  June, 
on  one  of  tlie  Hudson  Bay  Ct>'8  canoes,  c«ra- 
matided  by  Mr.  Hargrave,  chief  trader.  The 
loaded  catn  es  which  st^irtefl  some  days  after 
the  light  ones,  with  a  number  of  families,  ar- 
rived three  wieks  af'ev. 

Everyone  knows  liow  dangerous  this  mode 
of  traveling  is.  Tosi>end  daysand  often  nights 
in  an  uneomfoi table  position;  to  undergo  the 
Inclemency  of  seasons,  the  gusts  of  wind  and 
the  torrential  rains;  to  run  down  numberlesa 
rapids  at  the  peril  of  one's  life;  or  to  travel  ou 


u 


Historical  Skktches  of  the 


foot  long  portages  thmujrh  forests,  rooks  ami 
ponds;  to  «)an'p  "Ut  in  cold  and  damp  plat-es;  to 
devour  In  haste  a  scanty  meal,  badly  prepai-ed; 
to  stop  at  the  different  posts,  inhabited  by 
white  people  and  visitetl  by  Indians,  for  the 
administiation  of  tlie  sacrament**,  tlie  visitri- 
tion  of  tliesicit  and  tlie  exhortalion  of  jKior 
sinners;  such  was,  my  Lord,  the  life  of  the  mis- 
sionaries on  their  way  to  the  far  West. 

For  eiKlJt  days  we  went  up,  Mr.  Hargrave 

and  I,  tlie  Ottawa  river.    We  left  It  and  went 

up  anotlier  river  to  its  source.    That  took  us  a 

whole  dav.    After  that  came  a  ponage,  tLree 

miles  ill  length,  where  Is  the  summit  of  the 

lan<'  -  dividing  the  waters  of  tlie  Ottawa  from 

thone  fliwlnginto  lake  Nipisslng.    At  the  end 

of  the  iMirtage,  we  came  down  a  little  river  in 

one  day.     We  were  then  on  lake  Niplssing, 

which  we  crossed  in  twenty-four  hours.  Alter 

a  sliort  portage,  we  began  to  go  down  French 

river   tlirough  which  the  lake  discharges  its 

waters  into  lake  Huron;  that  also  took  us  a 

whole  day.    The  crossing  of  lake  Huron  to 

Sault  8te.  Marie,  took  us  three  days.     From 

thence  to  Fort  William  on  lake  Suiierior,  six 

days  and  a  half.    Leaving  lake  yuperior,  we 

astinded,  for  three  days,  the  Timlnistigouia 

river  up  to  a  portage  nine  miles  long,  wliicli 

is  the  height  of  lands,  and  divides  the  waters 

running  into  lake  Superior  from  those  ttowing 

into  lake  Winnipeg,  and  thence  into  the  Hutl- 

sonBay.   After  that  long  maid  we  embarked, 

"near  ito  source,  on  the  river   IJes  Embarrux, 

which  flows  into  the  Milk  Imcs.    We  crossed 

the  latter  and  also  lake  La  I'luie  liefore  reach- 

iiic  tlie  Fort  of  the  same  ninne.    Our  journey 

from  the  height  of  lands  t<>  this  post  had  la  aed 

live  days.    It  took  us  ihi-ee  da\8  to  go  down 

the  river  La  I'luk,  two  days  lo  iiross  liike  Des 

£o/s.  thri-edayslogodown  the  \Vinuip.g,<.ne 

dav  to  cross  lake  Winiili>ej.',  and  another  d-y 

to 'ascend  Red  river  up  to  Kt.  B<>nif..ce,  the 

residence  of  the  bishop  of  Juliopolis. 

Our  Canadian  and  Iroiiuols  traveling  com- 
panions were  exhausted.  Itwasthesamewlth 
Mr  Hargrave  and  myself,  and  that  for  good 
reisons;  for,  very  often,  we  would  leave  our 
camp  at  one  in  the  morning,  and  encamp  only 
at  about  7  or  8  in  the  tvcning.  Many  times 
we  were  exposeil  to  great  dangers,  in  the  mid- 
dle of  lake-s  or  in  coming  down  or  going  up 
rapids.  Tlie  current  used  to  set  adrift  our  ca- 
n'ot-on  liidden  n.cks,  and  .nceouri'miill  bark 
canoo  was  nearly  daslieil  to  plec«^s  on  »»ne  <if 
these  hitidi-n  rocks.  The  mournful  cros-^s  to 
bj  seen  ab  .ve  and  below  the  rapids  area  sign 
or  lilt'  dangers  these  places  afford. 

According  to  my  calculation  of  the  hours  of 
triveling,  I  counted  from  Lachine  to  Matawan 
115  leagues  on  the  Ottawa;  hence  to  Sault  8te. 


Millie,  134;  on  lake  Superior,  140;  from  Fort 
William  to  the  height  of  lands,  50;  hence  to 
lake  La  Piuk  Fort,  98;  llu-nce  to  Ftirt  Alexan- 
der, down  the  Winnipeg  river,  12l»;  and  at  last, 
from  that  place  to  St.  Bonliaee, between  3oaiia 
37;  total  700  leagues,  iravled  in  488  hours,  or 
;^ '  days  of  forced  marches. 

At  the  extremity  of  lake  La  Pluk,  I  met  the 
worthy  missionary  of  the  riauteux,  Rev.  ff. 
Beicoiirt,  who  was  then  vlsHIng  thecamjisof 
that  nation.  I  crossed  lake  Winnipeg  on  the 
uth  of  June,  and  on  the  6th  I  arrived  at  St. 
B<iniface  where  I  met  bishop  Provencher,  Rev. 
Thllieault  and  Rev.  Demers,  appointed  to  the 
mission  o  '>re;.'on.  Rev.  Poire,  missionary  in 
the  White  Horse  Prairk,  came  two  days  after. 
Rev.  Belcourt  returned  from  his  mission  <»u 
the  14th.  On  the  18th  Rev.  Poire  left  to  ac- 
company a  caravan  of  800  or  900  wagons  on  a 
buffalo  hunt.  It  was  after  his  return  that  this 
geiiileman  went  to  Canada  with  Mr.  Belcourt. 
Rev.  Mayrand  arrived  on  the  22nd. 

It  is  easier  l<i  feel  than  to  expn.ss  the  joys 
and  emotions,  the  souvenirs  and  hopes  caused 
by  the  meetingof  those  zealous  lab«>rers  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord.  This  was  the  most  nu- 
merous gathering  of  priests  ever  witnessed  by 
the  inhabitants  of  these  remote  regions.  The 
mustard-seed  was  beginning  to  appear  as  a  vi- 
gorous tree,  already  shadowing  a  multitude  of 
souls  draw  n  from  the  darkness  of  idolatry  and 
tninsplanted  in  the  kintrdom  of  God ;  precious 
fruits  of  tl  e  evangelical  zeal  animatinK  these 
missionaries.  Hajipy  the  prognostics  of  a  still 
richer  harvest  to  be  gathered. 

Having  spent  five  weeks  in  v.iiitingall  the 
missions  of  Red  river,  we  started.  Rev.  Demers 
and  I,  on  the  10th  of  July  for  our  destination, 
after  having  sang  a  high  Mass  in  honor  of  St. 
Ann  to  ask  from  God  the  benediction  of  heaven 
on  our  journey;  for  we  had  to  penetrate  Intoa 
country  never  yet  visited  by  a  Catholic  priest. 
The  rivers,  lakes,  mountains,  prairies,  forests 
and  hills  of  Oregon  would  soon  resound  with 
the  praises  of  the  holy  name  of  Jesus;  the  cross 
would  be  planted  from  place  to  place,  from 
shore  to  shore,  over  the  thousand  leagues  we 
had  vet  to  travel,  and  the  word  of  Him  who 
said  that  that  sign  would  "attract  ail  to  Him" 
in  the  person  of  these  po«>r  wandering  sheep 
to  which  we  were  sent.  What  a  joy!  What 
a  sweet  consolation  f<«r  missionaries! 

From  St.  Boniface  we  went.  In  seven  days 
of  dangerous  navigation,  to  Norway  House,  a 
small  fortres.*,  130  leagues  distant  from  our 
starting  point,  and  10  leagues  from  lake  Win- 
nipeg. Tbe'.ommandinsr  chief  Factor  had  the 
kindness  to  give  us  fof  lodging  and  chapel  the 
apartments  destined  for  the  Governor  of  the 
company.    We  sjieiit  there  eight  days,  saying 


Catholic  Church  ?s  Okkcon. 


13 


holy  Maps,  dl(«tributiug  catechisms,  haptizinjr 
chiklroii  and  some  adults,  itmtrucliiigaiid  t>x- 
hoiUipfj  the  whites  and  Indiniis  ai  the  Fort. 
We  h1s>>  iKTfi Hilled  two  marriaKes  tiiere.  On 
rtuiidity,  the  22iid,  there  wasa  higli  Mass,  ves- 
pers iiiiid  I  WD  serinoiis,  to  whieh  some  of  tlie 
jivjitlemen  aiideierltsof  tlieeonipniiy  assisted. 
Dniinir  1 1  lis  brief  stay  of  eljrhtdavM,  many  small 
buiKls  i>f  travelers  came  fr  uu  York  Factory, 
on  Uu  Ison's  Bay,  to  Norway  House,  from 
wheiu-e  ;hey  were  all  to  start  together  to  cross 
the  mountains. 

On  til"  26th  of  July  every tidiig  was  ready. 
The  brlrwle  assembled  and  liegaii  to  march 
uiidtir  tliB  command  of  Jolni  Rowand,  Esq., 
Chief  F.ictor  of  the  Comoany,  a  Catholic, 
whose  at  tent  ion,  Itindnessaii  I  constant  efforts 
to  alleviute  the  fatigues  and  privations  of  tiie 
route,  we  will  never  forget.  The  lirigadecon- 
air,ied  of  eievon  boats  laden  with  inerchaiidiM?, 
agreat  number  of  hired  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren. Among  the  travelers  were  Messrs.  \V;il- 
lace  and  Banks,  botanists,  sentfioin  Etigliiii'! 
by  a  scientific  society. 

Having  passed  the  head  of  lake  Winniiejr, 
the  river  .Saskatchewan,  or  8t.  Peter,  wliicli 
we  had  to  ascend  for  37  days,  apjieared  with 
the  <lrand  rapid  that  requires  a  jnirtage  of 
everything.  We  crossed  tlielaUeffe  Traixrn, 
Bourbon,  des  Cedres and  dci  Vase,'*.  On  Sunday, 
Vugust  15th,  we  reached  the  little  Fort  (-'oii- 
stant,  built  on  the  right  shore.  We  li.ul  trav- 
eled 93  leajrues  with  oar,  piTcn,  sail  and  line, 
h  iving  been  ften  obliged,  at  the  principal 
lapidt),  to  unbuul  our  lioats.  We  had  b  ip;ized 
on  the  way  a  child  who  died  an  hour  Liter. 
I  [aviirj;,  that  day,  sang  high  Mass  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  CVjs  Indians  of  the  lu'ighborhood, 
wlio  iip  eared  to  lie  well  disposed  to  ivcive 
th"  seed  of  tlie  Word  of  God,  we  .starte.l  liuht 
awav,aiid  arrived  on  the  7tli  at  Fort  CnmbiT- 
laiid"  on  tiie  laUu'  of  thi'  same  name,  .■$  >  I  M;;ues 
from  Fort  Constant,  and  (Ui  the  ISth  .it  Fort 
Carletoii,  88  leagues  from  the  last.  'I'nere  we 
peit'ornied  36  liaptisms  and  7  iiiariiag<'s.  .\- 
mong  tliose  l).iptize<l  were  the  coniiii  inder  of 
tlie  post,  Mr.  Patrick  Small's  family,  compo- 
sed of  8  I  ersoiis,  of  wlioiii  lliree  wt-re  adults. 
At  Fo  t  Pitt,  87  le.i^'ms  furl  her,  we  had  11  bap- 
tisms and  at  Fort  K  imuntoii,  also  called 
H'ort  d  vi  /'m/rr.s.  in  cliargeo'  chief  Factor  John 
Row.itid,  we  had  3i»  liaptisms, «  f  which  5  were 
adults,  and  3  marriages. 

Tiii-.  last  fort,  wlilihc-r  we  arrived  on  theOth 
of  September,  is  101  leaifues  distant  fn»m  Fori 
Pitt,  amidst  tiie  UrLs.  It  would  be  quite  fit  .o 
btcome  a  stati"!  '  •  ii  missiimaiy  who  would 
unierstand  these  Indians'  language.  Mean- 
wliile,  a  priest  could,  in  good  weather,  goon 
horsi  back  across  the  prairies,  from  Red  River 


to  Fort  Ciirleton  in  \!i  days,  hence  to  Fort  Ed- 
muntoit  1/  12  days,  allowing  time  to  slop  nl 
every  fori  along  the  road  His  visit  would  do  a 
gre.it  deal  of  g<i<id  to  iln-  employees  and  to  the 
poor  Iiidians,  with  wliom  they  trade  in  fms. 
On  the  2l)th  of  September,  we  had  at  Fort  Ed- 
niunton,  asttlenin  Mass  and  vespers,  and  two 
sermons.  On  the  Idih,  liefoie  leaving,  we 
blessed  and  planted  a  cross.  This  we  did  all 
along  tho  road,  wherever  we  had  wild  Mass, 
eitlier  near  the  forts,  or  on  the  shore,  or  in  the 
Ulterior  along  the  roaii. 

For  six  weeks  we  had  followed  the  crooked 
course  of  the  Saskatctuwaii.  We  had  then  to 
quit  It  and  to  change  our  small  fleet  for  a  car- 
avan of  66  horses,  in  order  to  reach,  by  land, 
across  forests,  ponds,  prairies,  rivers,  ditches 
and  lieaverdams.  Fort  .Assinilioineon  the  Ath- 
aliasea,  a  distance  of34  leagues,  which  required 
tlve  ilaysof  fatiguing  and  dangerous  walking. 
On  Septeml'er  16tli,  we  left  Fort  Asslniiiolue 
f.nd  began  to  struggle  against,  the  rapidn  and 
daii!.'eiN  of  tiie  Atlialiasku  which  we  ascended 
f.ir  17  days.  On  tlie  28th,  we  saw  for  the  first 
time  the  imposing  forms  of  the  Rocky  V  oun- 
tains,  the  highest  summits  of  which  are  per- 
petually covered  with  snow.  On  the  2na  of 
October,  we  liad  corneas  far  as  Jasper's  house, 
4  leagues  inside  tlie  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
were  then  5i2  leagues  from  Fort  Assiniboinc. 
There  were  there  3o  baptisms,  for  the  greatest 
part  children  of  half  breeds,  or  free  people, 
living  in  the  v.oods  as  Indians  and  hunting 
tlie  beaver.  Holy  Mass  was  celebrated  ou  the 
opposite  side  of  tlie  river,  far  from  the  noise  of 
Jasper's. 

Tlie  Athalusca  being  no  longer  navigable, 
we  changed,  on  the  5tli,  <iur  boats  for  a  car- 
avan of  72  liorses,  a  great  deal  worse  and  more 
im|)eifect  tliaii  those  of  Ertmunton.  These 
'  animals  were  ea.sily  frightened,  and  throwing 
ott"  iioisemaii  and  baggage  tliey  woul'^  either 
start  for  tlie  woods  or  run  into  ponds  or  mud 
holes.  The  organization  was  ditficult  and  the 
departure  slow.  We  went  along  the  right  shore 
of  the  river  whicli,  running  In  zigzags  in  a  val- 
ley well  timbered  and  bordered  vith  high 
iii'ouinains,  produced  high  and  long  points 
tliat  we  had  to  cross  straight  over,  in  order  to 
shorten  tiie  distance.  We  had  to  cri«8  chan- 
uvU.  and  sand  iiars;  we  traveled  alongside  of  a 
lake  at  the  head  of  which  is  the  Prairie  Caiup- 
meiit,  where  we  halte<l.  We  were  3  lea:^ue» 
fro.ii  Jasjwr's  house  and  had  come  there  In  4 
hours. 

On  the  6lh  we  had  to  cmss  forests  of  thick 
woods  and  climb  up  hills  and  rocks  dipping 
into  the  water.  We  had  to  pass  on  the  side  of 
these  hills  whence  the  eye  sees  with  awe  the 
yawning  abyss.    Woe  to  the  rider  whose  hone 


14 


HmOBICAL   SKKTI^HUa  OK  THE 


•-Nil 


wouldmis.->a«lii!rle!«tt'|.!  AfU-r  b:iviiipc11iil>- 
ed  very  liigli  rtK-U.n  luiii  traveleil  4  I*>iik"*^<'  '" 
3^  hourn,  we  c-aiiipetl  0)>i)0!!itf  tl»«  nick  cHllfd 
the  (Md  Mii». 

On  thf  Till,  after  two  lioure  of  iiiun-b  over  a 
nice  little  prairie  liiilitly  covered  witli  wimmK 
on  a  level  ground,  we  took  breakfast  hi  a  ttne 
l>rairie.  \Ve  then  went  up  and  down  12  <ir 
18  hills  and  rocks  covered  with  w<iodn.  We 
crossed  lour  little  rivers,  the  Vnmpofthc  Vow, 
pretty  >fr.>ve«of  li;jlit  woods  and  beautiful  wil- 
lows."' H  ivlng  walked  7  leagues  in  If,  hours, 
wecampe  I  near  th.- south  fork  or  branch  of  the 
Athabas  .a  in  a  place  covered  witli  burnt  tives. 

(PUBLISHED  MARCH  14tH  1878.) 
V'ICAH  (IKNERAI/S   I.ETTKR  CONrLfDKn. 

/In  tlie  Hth,  the  luggage  and  pet)|)le  were 
\f  carried  over,  in  a  canoe  wliitii  liad  been 
brought  BO  far  witli  infinite  pains  and  lubur 
from  Jasper's.  The  horses  sw;mi  across.  This 
branch  of  the  river  was  a  real  torrent,  45  steps 
or  yards  wide.  The  southwestern  branch  is 
but  30  feet  wide,  we  had  to  cross  it  on  horse- 
hack  from  its  right  shore  at  a  place  civlled  27« 
Hole,  where  the  horses  lost  f«K)ting  for  18  feet. 
The  baggage  and  horsemen  did  not  get  v.et; 
SIS  to  tliose  who  were  on  foot  they  had  toswini, 
holding  the  luggage  or  the  hoi-se"s  tail.  Pro- 
ceeding now  along  the  shore,  then  on  the  top 
of  iiigb  roclss,  we  met  with  niaiiy  olts  acles 
offered  by  hi!<h  rocks,  thick  timlierand  fallen 
'rees.  A  hill  apijeaivd;  in  order  to  f;icilitate 
its  stet'i)  Mscension,  we  climbed  up  in  zigzags. 
\Veha<lt<  dismount  our  horses  In  places  where* 
the  h n-ses  had  to  jump  or  climli.  Fr 'Ui  the 
top  of  this  hill  apiteared  the  most  enchanting 
scenery.  Our  sight  rested  w  itii  pleasure  on  a 
large  Viillcy  bordered  with  foi-ests  niising  their 
iieads  up  to  one  fourth  of  the  mountainous 
lieight  In  the  middleof  Ibis  valley  wecould 
see  the  river,  with  its  thou -and  turns  and  as 
many  points  or  hills  producel  by  its  course. 
It  w;isa  m:ijf'dfl<ent  and encljantitig8|iectacle 
which  caused  our  hearts  to  rise  to  Ciod,  and 
whlcli  we  weivsorry  to  leave.  VVequitted  the 
river,  c  ossed  several  hi  lis  and  groves  and  again 
leaelic  t  I  be  river.  We  came  to  Moose  Piaitk, 
wlR'le  :i  ni<'e  waterfall, several  hundred  feet  in 
heiirbt,  falls  from  the  top  of  the  moi'iitains  in- 
to the  1  iver.  The  road  liad  been  b.i<l  and  dan- 
gerous that  day.  The  live  leagues  which  the 
light  cavalry  liad  run  in  CI  boui-s,  were  trav- 
eled in  two  liours  more  by  the  loaded  animals. 


On  the  ftth,  we  croftsed  new  points  and  high 
hills  l)efore  n*aching  the  first  grand  l)each  two 
nub's  wide,  covered  witli  fine  gravel,  l)»ird«'ivd 
with  mountains,  and  in  the  midst  «f  which 
the  river  ^e«^med  t«)  play,  making  a  thousand 
turns  from  one  sIo|M'  of  the  mountains  to  the 
other.  We  cnwsetl  a  second  l»eaeh  llirnugh 
which  the  river  flowed  in  like  manner,  i  but 
day  we  bad  to  cross  it  &'i  times  in  order  t<t 
shorten  tlie  distance.  Wt- saw  many  glaciers 
in  the  mountain  passes,  went  through  many 
a  snow  Imnk,  and  also  saw  a  waterfall  a»  coti- 
siderable  as  the  first.  It  was  tlie  Barrel  FaU. 
We  iialted  at  the  Oun  Vamp,  surrounded  wilh 
high  )H-aks  white  with  snow.  We  had  trav- 
eled that  day  8  leagues  in  7  liours. 

On  the  10th,  l>eing  >  U  leagues  from  the  top 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  at  3  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  I  celebrated  under  a  tent  the  august 
sacrifice  of  ilie  Immacnlale  Lamb  in  tbanks- 
giving  for  all  the  l)eiKfits  the  Lord  hud  be- 
stowed upon  IIS,  and  to  consecrate  by  the  sac- 
rifice of  the  (  r.  ss  these  sublime  mountains,  to 
tlie  glorv  of  their  Creator,  the  all-powerful 
God,  of  whom  ihey  sing  the  praise  and  power. 
Having  walkt.d  with  much  fatigue  2^  hours, 
across  ponds,  rocks,  fallen  trees  and  other  obs- 
tacles, on  the  slope  of  mountains,  alongside  of 
tiio  narrow  Itui  swift  torrent,  we  came,  by  a 
steep  way  to  the  gorge  or  pass  half  a  league 
ill  width  t'erweiMi  (he  two  mountain  ranges, 
liiotrn  and  Honker,  wliose  grand  summit,  per- 
petually coviitd  with  snow,  rises  some  17  or 
1K,0»;0  feet  above  tlie  level  of  the  sea.  This 
pass,  pretty  sle«'p  in  its  central  slope,  Is  cov- 
ered on  both  sides  with  masses  of  rocks  fallen 
from  the  ab;  upt  mouiituins,  whilst otberrocks, 
Hiispendeii  atnive,  seem  to  threaten  the  fright- 
ened traveler. 

Half  way  in  the  gorge  is  a  round  lake  called 
Puiich  Bowl.  It  is  311  yards  in  diameter.  Its 
wateis  communicate,  uiiuerground,  with  twc 
other  lateral  lakes,  whciein  originate  two  riv- 
ulets. One  is  the  source  of  the  east  branch  of 
the  Atliabasca,  the  other  is  the  source  of  the 
Por(age  river  of  the  Wi-st.  These  two  rivers 
are  supplied  l)y  a  great  many  streams  from  the 
mountains;  so  little  at  first  they  soon  become 
impracticable  torrents  rolling  their  waters 
with  an  extraordinary  noise.  There,  at  Punch 
Bwrl.  we  were  but  one  league  and  a  half  from 
our  morning  camp,  and  it  had  taken  us  2j 
hours  to  travel  that  sliort  distance.  We  were 
27'.  Iciigui-M  from  Jasper's.  700  leagues  from  St. 
Boniface,  and  1,400  from  "lonti-eal.  One  may 
Judge,  thereby,  of  the  obMucles  encountered  in 
that  day,  witliout  speaking  of  the  obstacles 
and  dangers  met  witli  for  6  days  on  the  East- 
ern slo))e,  in  the  ascent  and  descent  of  bills, 
rocks  and  heights,   from  Jasper's.    We  still 


Catholic  Choicb  in  Okkoon. 


15 


walked  one  mile  and  a  half  in  2  boure,  going 
down  tlie  WeMtern  Mupe,  niucb  atet-per  timn 
tl>o  EaxU-rn;  and  going  over  rocks,  frugments 
of  rockw,  and  tre«B  along  the  Portage  river. 
We  liuliod  a  abort  dietanoe  from  La  Grande 
ihtf,  A  great  ateen  hill  we  liad  to  dt.iicend,  and 
whither  our  loaded  horses  arrived  but  2  hours 
aftev  thoste  of  the  light  cavalry.  They  were 
tired  ami  unable  to  go  any  further. 

On  the  11th,  the  Onat  HtUapwared  with  its 
Icing  circuits  In  zigzags,  to  facilitate  the  steep- 
ness of  it't  descent.  We  descended  it  in  3  hours; 
the  first  part  on  horseback,  the  second  on  foot, 
and  the  third  on  horseback  again;  after  which 
the  caravan  rested  for  acme  hours  on  a  t>eauti- 
ful  buxh-prairie,  the  first  portion  of  the  large 
field  we  were  sent  to  cultivate.  We  took  pos- 
session of  it,  and  consecrated  ourselves  to  Its 
cultivuti.in.  We  crossed  the  Portage  river  8 
times,  and  made  4  leagues  in  5}  hours. 

On  the  next  day,  our  riding  hordes  walkeil  2 
leagues  in  4\  Itours  through  the  mud  boles  of 
the  grcttl  timber  Point.  It  took  the  laden  ani- 
mals 8  hours  to  make  that  distance,  l)ecAnse 
they  had  to  be  unloaded  and  loaded  again, 
every  now  and  then. 

On  the  l.Sth,  the  traveling  was  easier  and 
more  agreeable.  Having  walked  for  6  hours 
and  crossed  several  points  of  w(M>ds  and  hills, 
we  reached  Boat  tneampment  on  the  right  shore 
r)f  the  Portage  river,  some  distance  below  Its 
ji!  nctlon  with  tlie  Canoe  river  flnwi  iig  from  the 
North.  We  had  come  down  the  West  slope  of 
t  he  njoun  tal  ns  I  n  .S  days.  We  were  13}  leagues 
from  Punch  Bowl,  41  from  Jasper's,  4-5  froin  t  he 
entrance  of  the  Ricky  Mountains  of  wliich  the 
range  seems  to  continue  up  to  the  head  of  the 
lakes,  .55  leagui-s  further  below. 

The  t'oUunbla  river  has  its  source 5)  leagues 
on  the  South.  From  Boat  enrjimpment,  it  ab- 
ruptly turns  to  the  West,  hence  the  name  of 
"Big  Bend"  Is  given  to  this  curve.  It  then 
flows  Southwest  down  to  the  Spokan  ■  river, 
below  Colville;then  Northwest  to  Okimagan; 
then  Southwest  to  Wallulu;  thencj  West  to 
Vancouver;  thence  Northwest  to  Cowlitz; 
thence  West  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  This  rapid 
river,  about  60  yards  wide  at  Bij  Bend,  which 
rolls  itsswollen  watersamtdst  nunitMtrless  dan- 
gers and  was  to  ofter  us  In  Its  rapids,  its  whirl- 
pools, its  dalles,  its  falls,  its  abysses,  a  tliou- 
sand  more  dangers  than  all  the  rivers  we  had 
yet  navigated,  was  now  iiefore  us.  We  had 
iiow  to  eiic  >unter  Us  dangers;  and  we  were 
remly  to  meet  them. 

On  tlie  I4tli,  it  being  Sunday,  the  h<»ly  sao- 
rittce  of  the  Ma;^  was  celebrated  to  consecrate 
us  to  the  Queen  of  angels  and  beg  her  to  take 
us  under  her  protection.  It  was  tlie  first  Mass 
<Milebruted  In  the  territory  of  our  mission.    At 


1:30  p.  m.,  the  iHMta  were  loaded,  the  prayers 
having  been  auld  on  the  shore,  %«e  shook  bands 
with  our  traveliiigcompunlons  whom  we  quit- 
ted, alas!  never  to  meet  again,  and  we  began  to 
sail.  Having  traveled  10  leagues  In  3J  hours, 
we  canified  in  the  middle  of  tne  rocka,  and  to- 
wards dusk  we  went  down  fiom  this  bad  place 
to  choose  a  better  site. 

On  the  15th,  the  grand  and  famous  Dalles  of 
the  Dead  appeared;  it  seems  to  be  but  20  yan'  i 
wide.     Wuat  makes  It  dangerous  la  the  curved 
form  or  elbow  of  high  and  perpendicular  rocka 
against  which  the  whole  body  of  water  rushea. 
Hence  the  fury  of  the  waves  and  the  necessity 
to  pass  cl<«e  by  the  opposite  shore.    Here  we 
had  to  leave  the  boats  to  carry  ofT every iblng. 
The  barge  Is  then  conducted  by  8  men, 6at the 
nais  and  one  at  each  extremity  as  pilots  with 
long  and  wide  paddles.    In  that  way  the  DaUu 
of  the  Lead  was  passed  wltiiout  much  danger. 
The  little  Dalle.-  d«  low,  30  yards  wide,  was  also 
fortunately  run  down  with  loaded  boats.   We 
also  went  ihrough  3  big  rapids  and  30 smaller 
<mes,  besides  a  strong  continuous  current  and 
abysses  which  threaten  the  unskillful  traveler. 
My  barge  broke  o})en  In  the  morning,  during 
a  fog,  on  a  hidden  rock,  which  put  usin  great 
danger.  MyrompHUlon  wasin  the  other  ba~ge. 
The  river,  which  from  the  Baneg encampment, 
looks  as  a  canal  cut  through  toe  mountains, 
began  to  flow,  towardsevening,  In  a  less  moun- 
tainous country.    In  this  canal  the  horizon 
always  appears  on  a  level  with  *.he  top  of  the 
treesof  ihefcllowlnfT  rapids  and  the  high  walls 
of  rock,  now  crowned  with  forests,  and  then 
with  beautiful  rov.sof  willows,  terminate  at 
every  ripid  by  a  fall,  or  kind  of  step  making  a 
real  nniphitheatre.     It  Is  a  grand,  magnificent 
and  delightful  sight,  but  the  dangers  offered 
by  the  canal  prevented  our  enjoying  it.     On 
that  day  we  had  traveled  40  leagues  In  6  hours. 
On  Tuesday  the  16th,  liaving  made 5  leagues 
in  2i  hours,  we  reacii<;d  the  Hougeof  the  Lakes. 
Two  hours  after,  one  of  our  l)oats  went  back  to 
the  Barges  encampment  to  fetch  down  the  third 
of  our  companions  we  had  left  there  for  want 
of  room.  Theother  boat  started  for  Vancouver 
with  the  express.     It  t«K>k  6  days  to  the  first 
to  go  up  tlie  55  leagues  which  separated  them 
from  us;ltarT5ved  hereon  the 21st.    Next  day 
It  started  down,  got  filled  with  water  at  the 
Dallesofthe  Dead,  was  emptied,  but  again  filled 
in  the  following  DaUfs;  It  was  going  ashore 
^tien  some  one  jumping  in  the  water  upset  It. 
Hence  the  loss  of  12  persons  out  of  the  26  who 
mounted  it.    It  was  about  dusk  when  thiscal- 
amlty  occurred.  Tlie  broken  barge  went  on  its 
way  the  following  day  and  arrived  on  the  24th 
in  the  morning  at  our  camp.    Great  was  tbe 
consternation  at  this  sad  news;  an  express  was 


ir> 


HiSTORfCAI.   FunTCHRtl  OP  THK 


dent  tarolvlllp  for  a  Uvtt  luid  goiuo  provlxloDs. 
Tlieotl)t'roiie  \vt\*  tvpuireil  mul  went  biiek  to 
the  unfortunate  Hpot  to  liriiiK  (liv  druuneil  bo- 
dies doun.  Tlmt  iiccidentdetuined  UMlSduys 
at  the  Hoiimqfthe  LriAvju.  Thin  lime  wuHM|x>iit 
in  inHtrnciInK  itie  Indiunn  who appeannt  quite 
docile  and  well  diHposed;  they  were  >»orry  not 
tn  have  the  happineHH  of  toeing  biiptixetf  lil<e 
tlieir  ciiil  Iren. 

At  luBt  <in  the  3rd  of  November,  havini;  per- 
formed  17  buptisitiH,  one  marringe,  Htid  liiiried 
3  drowned  children,  (the  only  b  idien  found,) 
Mt  the  fo:»i  of  H  vroMS  erected  ii  few  utepn  from 
nuroanij),  where  we  celebrated  holv  Mastsevery 
day,  we  embarke<I  in  2l>oat8,  upon  tlie  waters 
still  keepins;  in  their  lionoru  nine  of  our  com- 

J>aulons  We  cro-«ed  I  lie  Hrst  lake,  13  leu^uet* 
ong,  and  one  wide.  Then  came  the  second 
lake.  IH  leagues  by  2  niilen.  Below  the  lakes 
on  the  left  in  the  Kootenuy  river,  whicili  njv 
peured  to  be  30<)  feet  wide;  and  four  hours'  dis- 
tance below, 'lie  Flat  1  tend  river  falling  into  t  lie 
Columbia,  through  a  beautiful  fall  some  sixty 
yards  wide.  Tlie  ninth  rapid  below  the  1  lUes 
forms  the  Little  IMle.t  where  the  water  passi's 
through  a  camd  10()  feet  wide,  iK'tween  high 
rocks  or  basaltic  columns.  VV'e  can  «ay  tluit 
the  Rocky  Mountains  extend  us  far  as  the 
lakes.  Tlie  day  twfore  we  arrived  ut  Fort  ('i>l- 
ville,  the  want  of  tlmlwr — wi>ichftl)ounded  up 
to  the  Qreat  Dalles — began  to  lie  noticeuiile. 

After  having  traveled  72  leagues  in  :i  days', 
we  reached  in  the  forenoon  of  the6lh.  Fort  Col- 
ville  where  we  remained  81  days  occupied  in 
celebrating  holy  Mass  and  in  i'nstruetinn  'he 
IndiaiiN  of  tlve  nations  who  assisted  with  as 
much  resjtect  as  if  they  had  bten  fervent  (Mi  ris- 
tians.  Hav'Mg  performed  19  baptisms,  we  left 
tliat  fort  o-  le  lOlli,  and  went  to  c  niip  two 
miles  lieli'W  in  order  to  avoid  the  ('Imudierea 
fall,  wliich  stops  navigation  at  that  place. 

On  tile  11th  in  the  morning,  we  were  triv- 
e'ing  upon  tlic  Columbia  wliicli  a]i|)eared  full 
of  dan^jers.  The  giiiiid  rapid  appeared,  2n 
others  followed.  On  the  12th,  we  passed  the 
fork  of  ihe  Spokane  on  the  left  shore,  And  tli.it 
of  the  .Simpoils  on  the  rijilit.  On  the  l.Htli,  we 
reached  Fort  Okunagaii,  si  ii.iled  on  the  right 
shore,  64  le.mues  from  Colville.  NVf  had  trav- 
eled that  distance  in  3  days,  inissing  through 
innuincrable  rapids,  at  the  mosi  dangerous  of 
whicli  the  jieopie  had  to  land  in  order  to  ligiit- 
en  tlie  boats. 

We  started  again  on  the  I4th,  after  having 
baptized  14  |)er.sons,  celebrated  Mass  and  in- 
slructed  the  neighboring  Indians  during  the 
24  liouis  of  our  stay  at  tlie  fort.  The  little  river 
(Jkaiiajian  apijeared  lijilit  away.  Wc  juni|)ed 
12  lapids  on  that  day.  On  tlie  ne.xt  day,  the 
I.jUi,  a  rapid  was  formed  by  the  liock  Islands. 


The  passengers  went  ashore,  and  yet  it  did  not 
nrcvent  the  b<  at,  carrying  our  chnich  ki  (mIh, 
mim  t-trikiiig  a  rock  and  breaking,  in  coming 
down  a  eusi-adi>.  It  was  Hlling  witli  water  as 
it  api>roaeh(>d  the  shore.  On  tlie]«th,  wesuw, 
at  a  lieight  of  100  feet  in  tlie  Assure  of  a  rcH-k, 
H  pet  rifled  tree.  While  Jumping  the  4  Priest's 
Rapids,  lur  Istut  struck  on  Ihe  bottom  l>ut  did 
not  break.  Behiw  these  rupids,  tlie  high  and 
mountainous  shores  of  llie  river  give  place  to 
low  and  level  prairies,  over  which  the  sight 
can  extend  with  ease.  On  that  very  day,  we 
enjoyed  a  »|H'ctacle  of  which  we  hatl  been  «ie- 
prived  since  we  left  Winnipeg,  that  was  the 
sunset.  The  ren.ainder  of  this  day  and  also 
the  next,  we  sailed  on  quiet  waters.  The  low 
shores  gave  ns  a  chance  to  see  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains, iSoutliof  Wallnla,  and  those  of  Puget 
!S<  und  or  .Mount  Rainier.  We  left  behind  us, 
on  tlie  ri>;lit,  the  Yakima  river,  and  l)elow,on 
the  left,  the  Snake  liver,  also  called  Lewis  and 
Clarke,  wliieli  iip|H'ared  to  lie  500  feet  wide. 

On  Sunday, the  IHtii,  we  arrived  early  in  the 
morning  at  Foil  Walla  Walla,  built  on  the  left 
I'ank  of  the  Columbia,  a  short  distance  from 
the  river  (if  that  nuin*'.  Peter  C.  Pambruii, 
Ks«j.,  in  clia;g(.'  of  tliut  important  fort,  a  Cath- 
olic, received  the  two  missionaries  with  the 
giraUst  cordiality.  He  was  born  in  the  parish 
of  Vaudreuil,  district  ef  Montreal,  Canada,  anil 
was  foinnrlv  Lieutenant  in  tlie  Vaitigeura  Va- 
tiiiilliDy.  His  excellent  wife  was,  at  the  time, 
at  F«)ri  Vancouver  with  her  little  girls,  Maria, 
aged  12.  Eda  3,  and  Harriet  1«  months;  and 
tlie  lioys  Andrew  D  .  17  years,  and  Peter  C,  15. 
Tlie  girls  were  IwptiMd  with  their  mother  on 
IXceiiiber  IS,  and  the  (at her  had  his  marriage 
idessed  on  the  same  day.  It  was  a  beautiful 
and  hap|>y  day  for  ine. 

The  holy  saciittceof  tlie  Mass  was  celebrated, 
afterwl.idi  the  chiefs  of  I  lie  Cay  uses  and  Wal- 
la Wallas  came  with  their  ptniple  to  see  the 
pricKls.  '1  he  Cayuses  were  divided  into  two 
tiibes;oiieof  which  on  Ihe  Walla  Walla  river, 
known  as  Wailai])u,  formed  the  Presbyterian 
mi.>4sioii,  estalilislied  by  Dr.  Whitman  in  1836. 
The  other  camp  lying  on  tlie  Umatilla  river, 
.SO  miles  hence,  was  under  liie  command  of  the 
young  cliief  Taiiatoe.  The  day  was  pissed  in 
.s|>eaking  to  them  of  (iod  and  religion.  They 
were  so  glad  to  see  the  Blackyoicns  so  long  ex- 
jiecteil.  There  were  three  baptisms  made  at 
this  place,  and  on  a  subsequent  visit  by  Rev. 
M.  D(  mers,  the  young  ciiief  brought  bis  ciiild 
to  be  baptizt>d  by  the  priest,  Mr.  Pambiun 
having  consente<l  to  be  its  godfather,  which 
gained  for  him  great  blame  and  displeasure 
from  the  Doctor.    Since  that  time  the  young 

chiofand  his  band  always  pi-eferred  the  priest's 
religion  to  that  of  the  minister. 


Catholic  Ciicrch  in  OnKcoN. 


17 


SSSXOS  TXX. 

(  PTTBLISHED  UASCH  2l8T  187S.) 
ViCAK  OKNKRAL'8  LKTTRR  CONCM'DKD. 

An  iiinnd«y,  the  19tli,  we  left  Fort  Wallu 
Xf  Walla  will)  it«exuellviitcoiniuaiider.  'he 
little  rivnr  Wnlla  Wallii,  uii  the  left,  wa  lol- 
lowed  hy  theUmatllluoii  the  name  ttide.  iStveti 
loasuei^' below  the  fort,  we  leaped  the  (iraiid 
Raphl  M  Itbout  ae<.'ldeiil.  From  thence,  we  be- 
wail t<i  we  the  white  Hiiniiult  of  Mount  H(mk1, 
whose  tMtBelii the  Cttflcudes  range.  On  tlilsday, 
the  2llth,  our  provialonH  becoming  short,  two 
horneti  were  purchased  for  fiKxl,  for  which  the 
Indiann  were  paid  $10  a  piece.  The  Columbia 
beinu  pretty  low  at  thWafuson  of  the  year,  our 
two  boats  touched  the  ground  In  descending 
the  7th  rapid  on  that  day.  We  left  the  little 
river  John  Ikiy  on  the  left. 

On  wednetiday,  the  2lHt,  we  saw  on  the  same 
side  La  riviere  dot  Vhules,  (the  river  of  the  Fallw) 
so  called  by  the  Canadian  voyageurs,  not  for 
having  falls,  but  because  of  it«  uroxiuiity  to 
the  falls  to  be  found  on  theCohuunia.  We  ap- 
proached them  <m  the  right  shore,  with  grext 
precaution,  on  account  of  the  slrexm.  "These 
falls,"  (ChvUeg  In  French)  says  Father  Deniers, 
In  the  report  of  his  first  trip  to  C'olvill<i  in  1839, 
"are  a  series  of  rocks,  a  mile  or  twii  long,  which 
extend  across  the  Columbia  and  leave  hut  a 
snail  channel  on  the  left  shore.  These  rocks 
rise  ever  so  little  in  an  amphitheatre  and  are 
divided  l)y  a  great  number  of  channels  which 
the  mass  of  water  has  cut  for  a  passage,  in  the 
course  of  time.  The  ttntckute  is  pretty  rt-gular 
and  from  2)  to  30  feet  wide.  1  went  at  far  as 
possible  to  examine  them  more  closely.  Dieir 
nun>l)er  and  variety  are  surprising.  Tlicv  are 
not  equally  deep,  rtome  are  dry,  whereas  In 
others,  passes  u  large  volume  of  water.  The 
falls  are  from  o  to  12  and  lo  feet  hl<{h.  One 
ntuy  be  astonished  to  lean*  that  these  chitteg, 
so  terrible  at  low  water,  are  i  uu»oth  and  still  at 
very  high  water,  which  does  not  hapiK.'ii  every 
year.  Then  It  Is  that,  instead  of  fearing  Ihem, 
the  voyageurs  hasten  to  appro..ch  them,  to 
light  their  pipes  and  rest.' 

Heiv  we  had  a  long  portage  of  boats  and  bag- 
gage for  a  mile.  The  task  was  m.ide  still  more 
(litlienlt  by  sleet.  The  Indians  of  this  place, 
who  !tp|)eared  very  poor  and  destitute,  came 
to  tlie  assistance  of  the  men,  but  not  without 
having  been  earnestly  and  IncessaiUly  beggeil 
•A  wiiiie.  TlKit  portage  took  us  4  hours.  Tlie 
f'.iitM  DnUen,  (.Small  Dalles),  so  called  by  the 
fii  '  French  Car.adlan  vt)yageurs,  are  about 
hi\ir  an  hour's  march  from  Chulcs.     We  passed 


them  without  nocldenl;  they  area  mile  Ion;; 
and  about  25n  f«fet  wide,  walled  on  both  sides 
with  iMNaltlc  columns,  with  pn>Jeetlng  points 
ami  recesses,  which  form  a  canal,  or  dalle, 
tlipMigh  which  the  stream  move<l  with  the 
swift  .less  of  a  dart.  The  danger  had  been  null 
so  far,  but  It  came  on  after  crossing  the  Dallfji; 
for  our  tMiat  l>eing  caught  by  the  curieni  of  a 
whlrlpo«tl  was  carried  close  to  a  rock,  where, 
had  It  struck  and  been  broken,  It  would  Mton 
have  sunk. 

One  league  flirt  her  down  we  found  the  Gran- 
der Dalles,  »n  called  t>y  the  French  Canadian 
voyageurs  and  HoFm/xim  by  the  Indians.  Here 
the  CTolumbia  is  intercepted  by  a  chain  of  solid 
rm-ks,  through  wlilcb — woi'derful  to  say  and 
see — the  strong  mass  of  waters  have  opened  a 
channel  tothemselvis.  TbeOrofidml/a/fesare 
4  ndles  long,  Impassable  In  the  high  water  of 
May  and  June,  but  paaaable  in  the  low  waters 
of  the  Fall;  and  even  then,  not  without  a  dis- 
cbarge of  ptrsoi  is  and  baggage  for  the  tw  o  first 
miles.  The  first  part  Is  a  canal  of  about  150 
feet  wide,  walled  with  busaltic  columns  about 
60  feet  hl|tb,  ending  In  a  platform  about  80  feet 
broad,  and  terminating  with  other  basaltic  col- 
iimnstiOfet't  high.  During  the  high  watertbe 
swollen  Columbia  passes  over  the  platform. 
In  low  water  It  only  runs  through  the  lower 
channel;  projecting  points  and  recesses  In  the 
walls  form  waves  and  whirlpools  very  danger- 
ous, even  for  light  bmits  managed  by  8  men, 
0  at  the  (;Hrs,  one  at  the  stern  and  the  other  at 
the  prow,  with  long  and  wide  paddles  used  as 
rudders;  nevertheless,  they  are  never  passed 
without  dread.  The  two  first  ndles  were  run 
in  10  minutes.  Duringthemiddlestageof  the 
water  the  whirlpools  are  very  dangerous;  I  wat- 
told  that  several  years  ago  a  boat  was  caught 
by  one  of  them,  and  soon  disappeared  In  Its 
large  and  deep  funnel.  After  crossing  the 
Qrar.dej'  Duller  we  saw  on  the  left  the  buildings 
of  the  MetluMlist  mist^lon  fur  the  Indians,  es- 
tablish'd  in  1837. 

On  thursday,  the  22nd,  we  passed  the  Great 
R(»ck  of  t  he  Dead .  From  the  Dulles  to  the  Cas- 
cadcfto\xr  navigation  was  quiet  and  pleasant, 
on  the  smooth  water  of  the  Columbia,  Dordered 
on  iHith  sides  with  picturesque  mountains.  On 
friday  tbe2.^rd,  we  reached  the  Cascades  which 
stop  the  navigation  for  4  miles,  and  require  the 
ixirtage  of  the  baggage.  But  they  are  far  from 
being  what  their  name  indicates,  a  series  of 
caf^eailes;  for  the  two  first  miles,  tliey  uro  sim- 
ply a  big  rapid  passing  between  the  contracted 
banks  of  the  river,  followed  by  a  swift  current, 
a  wavering  water  along  the  shore  of  the  river, 
on  the  lef%  while  the  unloaded  boats  can  be 
brought  (own  with  a  line  along  the  shore  of 
the  right  oank  for  the  fii-st  two  miles;  then, 


m.i 


18 


Historical  •^Kn-iiKii  or  tiir 


rnrtly  linlfii  Mie.v  rnn  the  IhkI  iwo  miU-  Mith 
warN.     V\e  rviicl.t.!   rhe  ri,i>er  ro^udtii  wuU 
Mr.'ut  run-    uti«|  .aily  iiioukIi  U-fcrf  imm.i.  to 
iimkf  tia  li.hK  iM.r'UKe  on  Hit-  muiiu'  iliiv,  mut 
♦•ncum|.  at  (lit-  /> w< r  Cim-iuIk.    On  .s,iiir.|:,v 
tli«a4tli.   \Vf  wtiH  on   with  Mill  iiiiit  .mi>;tti'- 
.•ft  on  ,.iir  riKhi  the  high  rock  .•«IIh1  ( V,,^  H..,» 
l)ylruvil.r«oiui,connlolv»in«liin<|  Worm  often 
|«revHlliiiK  there.     WV  puHm-d  iiiaiiv    IslancU. 
an.l  wlun  MpproaehinK  Kort  VaM«l..uver  the 
baai8  went  ashore  to  allow  the  travelers  to 
niiike  tlu  Ir  toiletn,  and  *<nii:  after  we  were  at 
the  eiDl  ot  our  lonjf  Joiirnev,  at  o  p.  ni 

We  exiKTieiioed  eold   from  Colvllle  lo  the 
nmmha  IMltM.     It  was  ho  ftevere,  Home  .hivn 
as  to  form  lev  oti  the  oarn  of  the  men.    Home 
eveniiijp*  we  found  the  Kround  covered  with  H 
«)r  4  inehen  of  Htiow,  whhh  we  hud  to  ivmove 
to  i.itch  our  tentH.     Some  nightM  the  eol.l  waH 
!•  degreeN  of  Itt-aumur.     Such   iilKhtH  a!4  we 
imsHed  under  a  tent  at  Home  dlHiiiiee  from  a 
w'unty  rtiv,  on  aeeount  of  eheneareitv  of  drift 
wocKl  to  be  found  on  the  nhore,  weref;ir  from 
Ik'hik  pleuHunt.     At    />».  dnUfn  portage,  the 
ground  wan  eovere*!  with  a  hard  ^'lazed  fr(«,t 
I  lieeecleHiantical  .sinUane or c.ifimwk  of  ijriest.i 
whieh  is  the  tvpe  of  the  "neamleHH  garment". )| 
rhrmt  and  of  HIh  Chureh,  and  the  Klor'on^ 
hah  t  of  the  clergy  of  Canada,  was  w..ni  l.v  ii« 
all  the  time  during  our  long  journey  from  Tan- 
ada  to  Oregon,  and  nlnee  our  arrival.     It  wuh 
then,  euHy  for  ihe  C'anadians  to  recogni/A^'  thnii^ 
|iriL-N(8,  and  the  IndiMiiH  the  Blackgown.s  an- 
iioiineed  to  them.     Thin  practtce  we  will  eon- 
tniue  to  olwerve,  at  home  and  abroad. 

At  Fort  Vane  mver,  we  were  40  leigiie.s  from 
the  oeeun;  20  from  the  (.'a.'H'ades;  40  from  the 
lii'lles;  m  from  Walla  Walla;  14o  from  Okana- 
gan;  20'.t  fn.m  ('olville;  287  from  the  linns,-  of 
the  Lukes:  ;|42  from  Big  Ik-nd,  uinlav,  tVom 
J'liiieli  Howl. 

Iiielosing  thin  long  letter,  I  U'gK.hf  I'l  .  ve  I 
to  reler  your  Lordshii)  to  a  general  report  of 
our  receplioii  at  Fort  V;ineouver  and  ourmis- 
«ioiiar>  li.hors.  Please  hlesHyoin- two  mUsioi- 
ri.s  III  the  oreat  far  West,  their  tloek  and  their 
labors,  and  ..ccpt  tlif  homage  of  the  senti- 
ments ol  vehi'iiition  with  whieh 
I  have  the  honor  to  U-,  my  Lord, 

of  .\  our  Lordship, 
(ill- most  hunilile and  olxlieiit  servant 
h\  N.  Bi.AMUKT,  V.  (i. 


AlJUlVAI.  ASI>    UtCKKflON    OK  THE  MlSSIUN- 
AIJIKS  AI    FOKT    VaNCOCVEK. 

Tile  two  mi.ssiouarie.s  being  anxious  to  reacli 
the  destination  of  their  long  and  arduous  jour- 


ii<  y.  the  brigade  s'nrted  Iroiii  Fort  Walla  Wal 
la  (ii.w  W;,i|„|.,)  „„  M,„„|„y  „„,niiug.  Nov, 
libh.  rea.-hiii;,.  K„n  Vaiieouver  nn  the  follow 
ing  Saiiirtljiy.  aher  a  weekV  Mlowathl  ledioiip 
deH<eiii  ».f  ilie  Colninhia  river  The  .same  dis 
iHiiee  is  now  traveled  in  steamers  in  two  days 

When  the  flotilla  appeared  in  sight,  as  it 
iiia.le  iifl  wi  V  down  the  Cohimbia,  all  was  ex- 
eiteiiunt  at  •   o  fort,  where  news  had  already 
been  receive.,  of  the  ealaiuity   which  had  o«'- 
eiirred  to  the  parly  and  the  eonseq-ient  loss  of 
life.     All  the  populace  nmlied  to  tlie  river  hank 
ill  order  to  feast   their  eyes  on  the  Hrst  Cath- 
olic missionaries  wlio.se  presence  they  had  loug 
expected.      Prominent    among  the    assembly 
sl(tod  Jamcd  Douglas,  who  was  acting  Chief 
Factor  and  (lovenior  of  the  establishments  of 
the  llndsoii  Hay  Co.  west  of  the  Rocky  Momi- 
lains,  in  the  absence  of  Dr.  John  .McLoughlin 
who  was  then  absent  on  a  visit  to  Canada  and 
Kngland.     Me  was  the  first  to  welcome  the 
missionaries  to  the  scene  of  their  future  labors. 
t'ondnctiiig  ihem  to  the  fort,   where  the  fla" 
was  flying  in  honor  of  their  arrival,  the  Gov^ 
crnor  ushered  them  in  apartments  prepared 
fi-r  ihfin.  appointed  a  servant  to  wait  on  them, 
and  in  every  way  manifested  his  hospitality 
and  his  delight  at  their  arrival. 

No  .sooner  had  the  missionaries  reached  the 
fort  than  they  ,vere  waited  upon  by  Joseph 
(Jervais.  Stephen  Liicier  and  Peler  Beleque,  a 
delegation  re(iiv.<enting  the  Canathans  of  the 
Vyillaiiietie  valley,  who.  liaving  heard  t'.at  the 
missionaries  were  coming,  had  left  their  i.o.nes 
in  a  body  in  order  lo  greet  the  long-looked  for 
Catholic  missionaries  on  their  arrival  at  Van- 
couvtr:  hut  nearly  all  had  been  obliged  to  re- 
turn h  .iHL  in  consequence  of  the  delayed  ar- 
ri.e!  of  the  missionaries  thrngh  the  disaster 
of  ti.i    Oa'es  of  the  Dmd. 

T  saving  the  missionaries  located  at  Van- 
co.r  .  r,  Ihcre  to  return  thanks  to  God  for  hav- 
ing  preserved  them  through  their  long  and  ar- 
duous journey,  let  us  glean  from  confempora- 
I  ioiis  history  a  sketch  of  Fort  Vancouver  as  it 
ihcn  exi.*ted.  We  copy  from  'The  Ore-ron 
Territory"  by  Rev.  C.  G.  Ni.  olay,  and  issue.l 
III  Loudon  in  1846.  Describing  the  forls  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  that  writer  snya: 


-W:   rl,. 


Cat^uk  Ciiurcn  in  Orkgon. 


•ilia  WmI 
iii^'.  Nov, 
U'  follow . 
Ill  le(lioll^ 
Mdine  ili<« 

two  (1||}K 

jllti  H8  it 
I  WHS  ex- 
I  nlri-ndy 
ha<i  oc- 
rit  I0M8  of 
verhnnk 
■at  Cath- 

llHll  lou^ 

iSMeiiibly 
i«  Chief 
neiitg  of 
y  Muiiii- 
toii^hiiti 
ada  and 
)me  the 
)  labor8. 
the  fla<: 
fie  Gov- 
repared 
n  them, 
ipitality 

Jied  the 
Joseph 
teque,  u 
I  of  the 
t'. at  the 
•  iiwines 
ked  for 
«t  Vao- 
i  to  re- 
yed  ar- 
iisaster 


Of  all  tUeh>,ri\  VMiMouver  Ih  low  the  prlii- 
•  pal:  here  Dr.  .McL..ukI.11„,  th..  k..v.  ,n!.r  f 
the  terr  torv  remd«..  an.l  here  In  the  pihuiiwl 

hiteriorare  warehoiiH«M|;  u  Ih|„,1m.,1  the  »iiid«,. 
rtun,  of  trade  from  Kau.ehatka  u.  c"lit*.rX 


19 


.5:;^^^i\j;i'tsrM^a!si=i 


t  Van- 
or  hav- 
find  ar- 
il! pora- 
er  as  it 
Oregon 

issued 

'oris  of 


..f  WC...U...  wall.  .nade,;^-^ck;,H;;  wi^^i:.";; 

flnulv  flx«l  In  the  around,  and  t-UmeTy  rt?Sd 
ogetlier  25  feet  blK^,  un.i  strongly  -ecJred  on 
the  Inside  by  buttrH««.;  the  are*  h.  oultlTat^ 
and  Hurrounded  by  houHes  and  otllcM,.  th«  J  ,V- 
ernor's  rehldence  being  In  the  centre  there  Ih 
a  cha|>t.|  and  sch.wl.  T'heoffleen.of  heC™i ! 
pany  dine  together  in  the  oonunon  h-ll,  tlio 
governor  uresldlng;  but  it  h.»  been  remarked 

nf  .hJ  1,   •  nT"'  '*'*l'"  *»veHand  the  females 
of  the  f«ta.jli8hnient  fn»m  tiie  table  does  n.t 
eontributc.    to   the    reHnement  of   ,3,",^' 
1  here  l«al«, a  public  "batchelor's  hall,"  where 
after  dinner  the  time  Is  passed  in  conversation 
and  smoking    but  the  fatter  In  said  to  l^  d  " 
dining  as  u  liablt.    The  hospitality  «»f  Fort 
\  ancouver  and   ts  governor  has  bt*i.  ligl  iy 
praised,  especially  by  American   WiUers.   It 
tiiiouldseem  not  without  g.K»d  reawmt,:  and  the 
jr^-neral  feelmg  of  .vgret  at  leaving  thesociery 
It  affords  speaks  much  la  praise  of  the  offlwi^ 
..t    he  (  ompany,  not  less  than  the  gmnl  clieer 
of  tile  «;.)vernor.  *    '^  -"cvr 

Uevond   the  fort  are  large  granaries  and 
sK.reWuses;  and  before  It,  on  till  bunk  of  tS 
river,  U the  viilajre  in  whicli  tliewrvantwof  the 
(  ompany  reside;  in  all,  ihe  residents  may  be 
seven  huudr-d.    In  the  v.ll.ge  is  an  l..«.pltaT 
Attached  to  Fort  Vai  ,  .uver  is  a  niagnlfl. 
cent  farm  of  moiv  thun  .;,00()  ac-i-es;  s.nv-,n|||s 
cutting  many  liundred  thousand  feet  iier  an- 
iiuin;  grist  niillH,  and  every  otii.r  reuuwite  for 
•  ^omnien-e  ami  agriculture.     Ver^els  of  14  feet 
draught  can  cme  abreast  of  the  wli  .rf  at  low 
water  (sayH  Lieutenant  Wilkes),  and  at  the 
store  of  tlie  Company  every  necejis.ry  cui   Iw 
Jiui.;.:ied  asclieapasin  tlio  Ijnited  States;  i.ils 
however  must  l)e  taken  witli  considerable  Hm- 
itatiop,  and  refers  probaUly  t«.  the  English 
goods i„  p:,riicular.   kron.  hence  theComSany 
carries  on  a  kicrallve  tra.le  wll  h  ( 'aliforniaVthe 
ftan.wich    Islands,   and  tlie   Russian   st/ttle- 
ments,  besides  its  exporte  to  England 
<.  ll'l  <''""l>«"y'8    servants  are  principally 
-ootdi  and  Canadians  but  therplHulwalrreat 
liumW  ..    i.aif-l.ree.ls,  cliildren  of  the  Com- 
I'uiiy  ssirvunisund  Indian  women.  These  are 
|<.-ner»;  .v  a  well  feature*'  race,  ingenious,  ath- 
Itiic,  a.ul  remarkabler    xl  h..r8enten;  themen 
«mke  excellent  trappers,  and  the  women,  who 
ir.quently  marry  officers  of  the  Comfwuiy 


Uu.^  "'^'"'  ^"•"•'»'.  ""rt  "tlentive  wivev 
tlM-3  are  ingenious  needlewomen,  and  g.NKi 
i.aiu.gen..  'Yhey  frecjueniiy  attend  the Ir^.u^ 
b«n«l«on  their  trading  excuwlons.  1     which 

ar  tiesol  heir  Indian  Hi.cestors,  among  w bio  , 
l«  the  not  unfreouent  use  of  the  nioeassli 

l»H.gh  Hsually  it /sniadeof  orn«me,"ed  Zh 
Instead  of  (Iwr  Skin.  "vino, 

uJ!u.V'fi'"'u  '^* "•••" ".'* Pri»cl|)al establish- 
ment  of  the  Hudw.n's  B«y  Conifmny  in  the 
V\  est  gives  the  stianger  a  high  Idel,  of  its  pA«u 

•erit>  and  n,portanw;thethkkly,.eople0^vll. 
fage  the  hghly  cultivated  tlelds  he  aUwnce 
of  Hi  guanU  and  defences,  tl  ^  guns  of  thTfort 
having  long  since  been  dlsmounletl,  theclvl" 
Ized  ap,Haiam;e  of  Its  interh)r,  and  tbe  activity 
and  eneigy  w  l.leh  nrevalls  -the  noble  riveV^ 
lure  l,m  yards  wide,  on  whieh  perhaps  some 
of    i.e  Company'  j,,  origs,  or  steamers 

wHlupp.ynt.  d,  m.  «nd  armed,  ai;  at  In^ 

chor.  and  .  h.  ■  -eighteiiod  h.  'the  effect 

b>  the  inagn.  ^-oeiiery  by  which  it  issur- 

rounded;  tVis-  r    ..e  w<hm1»  flanking  the  inlghty 
stream,  and  bt.     ed  by  lofty  mountains    the 
sn..w-covered  ,.eHks  of^Mounts  Ho<Xli  Ht 
Helens  «oH;eringover  all;  while  tbe  wild  flow- 

ed  his  selu  lion  of  its  site.     Here  is,  andUoubt- 
iesh  will  com  nue,  the  chief  trade  of  Western 
America,  until  tlieincreHsingdemands  of  com. 
lupn^and  imilonal  industry  transport  it  to  he 
shores  of  Juan  de  Fuca  straits  anaAdmlrelty 
Inlet;  yet  even  tiien,  as  the  only  naval  and 
merc-anti le  station  in  South  Oreg<u,,  and  as  J^ 
ctMving  I  he  trade  of  all  branebesof  the  CoW 
bla.ai..   I.aving  Immediate  and  rapid  wmnect- 
ion  with  Pugefs  Sound  by  the  6owlit"  a^d 
Msqua  Iy  ami    with  (iray's  Harbor  by   the 
Chehalis— thus   connectinK   the  great  fnih 
water  with  the  great  salt-water  n^vLS 
the  Columbia  with  the  Strait  of  FuSlwf 
|)ccuuv  only  the  sec.nd  phtw.     sir  H.  Pellv 
111  hfs  letter  to  Lord  Gieneig,  in  1887   glv^ 
hi.  account  of  the  state  of  the  ComJk.fiT- 
ibe  Company  now  (occupy  the  couiitrv  h*. 
tween  the  ft,H=ky  Mountair.^  and  Uie  Siflt 
by  six  permanent  establisliments on  the  «>a9t 
si.xteen  in  the  interior  country,  besides sevcra 
migratory  an-. ,:,  ••i':gpartle»,kiidtheymain- 

\essel  on  tl    ,f,i...t.       u,- m  u-inclpal estabiish- 
'.'.t  for  U}o  trail*  of  the  coast  and 
Mi'.ed  nifiGt  V  nti -s  from  tbe  Paci- 
ni   "  i.'iiH   i  t!i  >Columbia,and 
•V!      •!»  Ih.l  .i'  {'   that  celebrated 
ai<    iielg-t,  ir  lood  they  have 


ment  :i>id 
Interior  Is  s 
flc,  on  the  i 
called  Van. 
navigator; 


20 


Historical  ?ketchm  or  the 


large  posture  nnd  graii.  farms,  nffordiiig  nif*t 
ahuiidaiitly  every  species  of  ugru-ulUiral  nio- 
(iuce,  and  nuiintaiuing  large  herds  of  st.x-k  j.f 
every  dt^'eriuti^ln.  'I'liese  have  been  gra(hmll> 
eslablinhod,  and  it  is  the  Intention  of  tluConi- 
mnv  still  further  not  only  t«»  augment  and  ir- 
crease  thttn,  und  to  establish  an  ex p<iit  trade 
in  wool,  tallow,  hides  and  other  things,  Inil  to 
encourage  the  settlement  of  their  retired  ser- 
vant* und  the  Inmiigrants  under  their  proiee- 
tion;  and  he  asserts  further,  that  the  soil,  «Mi- 
mate  and  other  clrcunistanee^of  the  country, 
are  as  mneh,  If  not  more  adapted  to  agncuUn- 
ral  purposes  than  any  other  spot  in  America. 


H»^    » 


(POBLISHKU  MARCH  2STH  1878.  ) 
INTKREHTINO  LETTER  FROM  RKV.  MoUKSTK 

Dkmers  to  Rev.  C.  F.  Cazeai-, 
Secretary,  Quebec. 

Vancouver,  Oregon,  Mandi  1st,  183!). 

Rev.  dear  Sir:—  .    .    ,,    ,i,.> 

When  I  was  appointed  totlie 
mission  of  Oregon  In  1837,  tojjether  willi  tlie 
Vtrv  U°v.  Father  Blanclu-t,  tliei)assageot  tlie 
iiiisiionaries  from  Montival  to  Fort  Vain-ou- 
ver  across  the  American  eontinent  and  in  the 
e^in'oes  of  the  Hon.  Hudson  Bay  Coinp.iny, 
met  obstacles  which  prevented  tlieir  imme- 
diate departure. 

Bishop  Provencher,  who  sto  »d  in  nci-d  ot  a 
missionary,  st?cured  a  pass-i^v  lor  me  to  Ited 
Kiver.     Tliis  was  twenty  one  liundnil  miles 
KAved  ill  inv  journey  to  Ori'gon.     1  was  ilVaid, 
however,  that  when  I  should  hMveac<iiitred  a 
knowledge  of  tlie  language  of  the  Sanleaux,  1 
would  not  bo  allowed  to  proceed  on  my  j  .uriiey 
if  an  ..pportunity  nresenU-d  itself;  but  Divine 
Providence  took  all  dilflculties  (mt  of  the  way, 
for  as  soon  as  the  missdonar  en  for  Oregon  had 
obtained  :ipas->a)i:e,liish<.pl'rovenclierallowe<l 
ni«'  to  proceed,  ami   1  had  the   lnippine.-«  of 
uii-etin^  with  the   Very    llev.    Father   Blan- 
,-litton  P  d  River  in  W.iH,  on  Ids  passage  to 
Oregon      Leavins?  to  the  vu-  ir  geneail  the  re- 
cital of  the  Ules  of  his  iripfr-.m  St.  U  .nifaceto 
Fort  Vancouvei,  I  will  give  you  an  account  «>f 
mv  mil  istrv:    For  tlie  last  three  months  this 
f.)i t,  hiM*  with  the  Canadlansand  Indians  here, 
.,.ciipiv  d  -ill  n.y  lime.     I  luive  found  liert'»<>me 
I'  insolation,  (iod  has  given   me  the  grace  to 
leiiin  the  Chinook  language  In  ashort  time.    It 
is  Ml  this  jargon  that  I  instruct  the  women  and 
.•hildreu  of  the  white  settlers,  and  the  savages 


who  come  to «e  me  fn  ni  fir  :  nd  near.    I  am 
M>  busy  ironi  morning  (ill  night  that  I  can 
scarcely  tind  time  to  write  the  following  con- 
cerning the  savages  settled  on  the  west  of  the 
Rocky   Mountains.     I  would  ask,   therefore, 
your  Indulgence;  as  I  merely  passed  through 
the  ditl«  rent  Indian  tribts  scattered  along  the 
Columbia  from  the  Rocky   Mountali.s  to  the 
I'acittc  Ocean,  the  following  sketch  must  of 
lie*  .ssity  be  very  ImiH-rfeet.     I  hope,  however,  i 
it  will  besuflclent  to  make  known  to  you  thoee 
divers  tribes,  under  the  most  interesting  as- 
nect— that  of  religion.    My  re«ent  arrival  In 
this  country  and  the  mnltipliclty  of  my  occu- 
Datt<  ns  do  iiot  permit  me  to  give  more  than  a 
fulntske'ch.    Unwilling  as  I  am  to  expose  my- 
self  t..  the  danger  of  giving  false  impressions 
and  wrong  information,  I  will  wait  until  I 
may  have  acquired  a  more  thorough  knowl- 
fdire  of  those  unknown  tribes. 

Lake  Hocbe.  ^  ,  ,    , 

The  first  savagts  we  saw  are  called  Lake  In- 
diam.    These  Hist  <.f  the  large  fold  comniitted 
to  .)ur  care  coiivsp«md  well  to  the  description 
uiveii  us  of  them  by  ihe  Canadians,  who  had 
lieeii  forson.e  time  telling  them  ot  their  own 
chiiffc— !l.t  b'ock  iob«e— and  had  given  them 
I  he  hoi)e  tlmt  some  of  them  would  arrive  and 
give  tlnni  a  knowledge  of  the  Master  of  life. 
He  who  made  them,    "Kaekfruien  tshoyien." 
\Vc  can  ei!sih  Imagine  with  what  joy  they  re- 
(vive.l  tho^e  chiefs  for  whom  they  had  bee"  so  I 
long  waiting.     For  17  days  we  remaiiied  at  the 
Hoiise  of  tiie  liakes  and  labored  In  this  new 
viiuvard,  which  promised  from  the  very  begin- 
ning of  our  visit  to  iM  an  bundant  fruit.     Alter 
the  first  instruction  on  God  and  His  attributes, 
on  the  ci-eation,  tlie  fall  of  Adam  and  the  ne- 
(vssilv  of  Baptism,  those  who  hiid  little  chil- 
dreii  hastened  to  bring  iheiii  for  Baptism,    to 
have  t  beir  hearts  made  good."    They  regretted 
tliatthev,  themselves,  could  not  receive  the 
same  happiness.    These  Indians  desire  noth- 
inir  more  than  to  know  G<h1  and  the  religion 
that  leads  to  Him;  they  anxiously  long  for  the 
moment  when  a  priest  may  come  among  them 
U.  teach  them  the  holy  truths  and  niaxims  of 
our  divine  religion.     It  was  not  without  gr  ef 
that  these  i>«»or  people  saw  the  missionaries 
have  them;  and  on  our  part  we  were  not  in- 
different to  the  expression  of  their  warm  af- 
ftrlitin.    Quomodo  audkut  .sine  prcedicantef 

COI^VILLE. 

In  this  fort  we  saw  Indians  belonging  to  5 
dlfterent  trib*s,  who  had  come  from  the  ne;gh- 
borhoo4i  to  meet  us.  A  barge  which  had  pre- 
cidcdusdown  the  river,  had  br«»ught  them 
the  newt,  that  the  long  expected  chiefs  were 
aiming.  Hardlv  could  they  perceive  the  barge 
In  which  we  were,  than  they  all,  men,  women 


Catholic  Chcrch  in  Oukgon. 


21 


;nui  children,  hastened  to  the  shore  with  joy 
fleiiicted  on  their  ciiunteiianees,  to  bid  us  wel- 
come. It  was  not  without  emotion  we  saw 
this*  demonstration  of  tlieir  Kratiftcation.  We 
liad  to  tear  ourselves  away  from  them,  to  ac- 
companv  the  c«»mmaudant  to  the  fort.  The 
chiets  of  tlie  Oiaudieref,  SinpoUs,  tipokam,  Pia- 
knos  and  of  the  OkMnagans  with  some  of  their 
people,  received  such  instruction  as  our  time 
would  allow  us  togivethem.  All  gathered  to- 
)j;etber  in  a  larjje  liouse  given  to  tlieni  for  the 
(Ktcasion,  and  waited  in  hilence  for  the  moment 
I  when  we  should  speak  to  tliem.  With  what 
attentive  eagerness  they  listened  to  the  Word 
of  God,  which  being  translated  to  them  by  the 
chiefs,  acquired  a  new  force  and  an  additional 
weight.  SVe  forgot  nothing  that  was  calculated 
to  fortify  them  in  the  principles  of  the  Catli- 
olic  religion;  thus,  in  a  short  time,  we  liave 
scattered  s>>me  of  the  seed  of  the  divine  Word, 
and  we  have  the  sweet  hope  that,  according 
to  (iod's  merciful  designs.  It  will  liear  fruit  In 
this  p<)rtion  of  the  human  family  so  long  ne- 
•rlected.  We  easily  can  see  what  progress 
(Christianity  would  make  among  tribes  so  well 
I  disposed,  but  fides  ex  audMn. 

The  live  tribes  mentioned  above,  the  LaJce 
I  Indiana  and  the  Flat  Heads,  of  whom  we  shall 
(•peak  later,  speak  languages  so  similar  that 
!  iliov  readily  understand  each  other;  It  wouM 
i»- enough  to  know  one  of  these  language.-*  t<» 
-,.eak  ihem  all.    The.iolbe  Indians  and  the 
1  ( 'iiuiieres  are  the  most  numerous  of  all. 
Okanaoan. 
During  the  24  hours  t  hat  we  remained  at  this 
uortt,  we  became  acquainted  with  the  Indians 
who  frequented  It;  they  are  tolerably  nunier- 
i  ourt.     We  may  say  of  them  what  we  li  ive  said 
.)f  those  mentioned  above;  to  m.ike  fervent 
I  Cliii-stiuns  of  tliem  It  would  sutn<«  u>  teach 
ihein  the  Christian  doctrine.    Nothitig  more  is 
iieeiled.    Between  Okanagau  and  Wall  i  Wall  i 
we  have  seen   «)nly  a  few  Indian   huu«.     F.ir 
want  of  interpreters  we  could  liardly  make 
oui-selves  understood. 

Walla  Walla. 
Some  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Ciyuie  triim  ha  1 
I  I'oine  toyet  her  at  tills  post  to  see  the  chiefs  ot  the 
I  I'leuch  (Canadians).  All  over,  t  he  same  wixl 
J  iiul  the  suuKi  eagerness  tt»  know  O  mI,  the  same 
I  i.>y  and  satistaction  in  seeiii'.?  the  black  rtilK-s 

I  uf"  whom  thev  had  heard  hi*  much.  Although 
h->*.  .vol  Christians,  tliey  firmly  lielieved  the 
( ruths  <if  the  religion  we  explained  to  them  on 

I I  li.f  wav.  Tijey  speak  the  language  of  the  Nez 
1  /'  rcp»  which  is  <ilt»>gether  different  frimi  that 
i  ot  the  Oiauiierj.1  and  of  Ihj  Flat  Heads;  they 

.:.ni  CMU  verse  with  those  of  Walla  Walla  whose 

1 !  I  I  /u  *ge  la  spoken  as  far  as  Djj*  Ckateii.    Some- 

<.vli.it  U'.-liiW  are  the  Dalle:i  Indians,  who  can 


speak  with  th«i«e  of  Des  ChuUs  and  of  the  J  'as- 
cudes,  20  miles  distant  from  Vancouver.     -V 

J'reat  many  of  the  Indians  speak  the  Chinook 
argon  of  which  there  will  be  meutlou  later. 
Vancouver. 
The  C.'hlno<)k  Indians'are  scattered  along  the 
Columbia  river  from  this  fort  down  to  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean.    Before  the  year  1830,  they  were 
the  most  numerous  tribe  Inhabiting  the  banks 
of  this  river.    This  rendered  them  proud  and 
haughty.     Beside  this,  they  were  rich;  but 
about  this  time  came  the  disastrous  malady 
known  l)y  the  name  of  fever-and-ague  which 
carried  a  great  many  to  their  graves.     In  the 
heat  of  the  fever  they  would  leap  Into  the  river 
In  the  hoiieof  relieving  themselves  of  their  suf- 
fering, but  they  found  death  as  quick  as  it  was 
certain.    It  was  found   necessary  to  burn  a 
wlH)le  village  where  the  dead  bodies  were  piled 
<.ii»-  nm>n  another;  for  the  survivors  were  not 
capable  of  burying  tlieir  dead.    This  calamity 
which  God  sent  tiese  Indians  on  account  of 
their  ubomtnable  lives,  came  to  visit  them 
every  year,  and  always  made  some  of  them  its 
victim's.   We  are  told  they  reformed  their  lives, 
except  tbot-e  who  lived  near  the  fort,  who  are 
wicked  and  denntrallzed  on  account  of  their 
amimunlcatlon  v  ith  the  whites.    They  make 
a  shameful  traffic  In  crime;  they  have  female 
slaves  whtin)  they  hire  at  a  price  to  the  first 
who  asks  Iht  m.    They  have  seen  us  and  see  us 
vet  M  Kb  an  indifference  that  makes  us  regrvl 
tlieg«K)d  Indians  of  the  upper  river;  but  the 
part  of  the  tril)e  situated  not  far  from  Fort 
George,  (n.  w  Astoria)  down  the  river,  is  not 
as  dt  pravtd,  which  jjlves  us  the  hope  of  being 
able  to  Chri'-tianize  them,  with  the  assistance 
of  Hlni  wlio  wills  that  no  one  should  perish, 
but  lliat  ull  should  con\e  to  the  truth.    At  the 
very  nionieiit  1  write  this,  I  learn  that  their 
cliief,  with  a  great  luany  of  his  men,  has  lust 
Hirivtd  toseetlie  Freiu-li  prieste.    A  few  days 
ago  lie  had  sent  depnti«  s  to  know  wliether  they 
would  instruct  bis  Indians. 

The  real  language  of  the  Chinook  Is  almost 
unlearnablo;it  differs  entirely  from  that  of  all 
the  neighboring  tribes;  but  they  speak  thejai-- 
Kon  also,  which  is  used  as  the  medium  between 
the  Canadians  and  the  whites  in  general,  and 
the  Indians  whoaresettled  nearthefort.  The 
Jargon  Is  composed  of  words  taken  from  dif- 
ferent languages,  disfigured  in  their  ortho- 
ffraphy  and  pnniuuciation.  It  is  all  borrowed 
from  different  languages  which  makes  it  easy 
to  acquire.  It  possesses  only  from  four  to  five 
hundred  words.  It  nas  no  participle;  one  and 
iLe  same  word  has  several  meanings.  For  In- 
stance: Wawa,  means  to  speak,  to  learn,  to  tell, 
to  answer,  to  ask;  Komtux,  means  to  know,  to 
learn,  to  oompreheud,  to  bear,  to  think  and  to 


2i 


Historical  TiiHTciiKS  of  tiik 


holi(>ve;tlui!<,  by  .uMiiij^  Xdvitkn,  oertaiiily;  we 
iiiivo,  Xdirilhi  luilk-ii  komlux  Snlxilce  I'lUjie,  1  be- 
lieve in  (J'mI;  heiic**  it  followslbat  it  isiioteasy 
tiitraiisliiie  Frencli  expressions  ir.to  it,  we liave 
to  use  |):iiM|)li ruses.  For  tlie  last  niontli  I  l<now 
tSiisjiirt^oiisutHeientlywell  tittfiveii  structioiiM 
and  to  teaih  tlie  cate'ehisin  wiilioul  beinj?  ob- 
lige<l  ti>  write  tbeni  down.  I  have  translated 
the  rtiirii  of  the  Cross,  and  the  way  to  uive 
one's  heart  to  (1  >d.  I  cannot  send  the  trans- 
lation of  tlie  other  prayeix,  as  they  are  not  (iiii"e 
finished.  A  good  many  of  the  tascade  Imli- 
ana  who  understand  this  j  MKon,  and  some  of 
the  KlieUalula,  attend  the  catechism  undeve- 
lunKpravers.  In  order  to  impress  deeper  upon 
their  meniiir'  the  truths  contained  in  tlieaiMw- 
tles'  Creed  I  have  tried  to  arraiiKt'  it  toa  (per- 
tain air.  The  Indians  love  music  very  much; 
they  kno.v  nearly  by  heart  the  canticles  that 
v/ere  suii.-  at  Mass  last  Sunday.  I  expect  to 
learn  the  Klickatat  language,  winch  will  l>euf 
great  use  in  instructing  this  tribe,  an  I  those  of 
I)es  (Miutes  and  of  the  Cascades,  wh  >  Uiider- 
stand  it  well  .ThegreatesldilHcullyin  learning 
the  languajje  spoken  on  this  side  of  the  m  un- 
tains  consists  in  the  pronniici  ition  which  is 
such,  that  w^  are  many  limes  at  a  loss  to  tind 
characters  to  represent"  it,  as  in  S:ih'ih'c  Tnyw, 
(J'.d,  (Chief.above)  hihkt,  one.  Tim-  d.)es  not 
all  iw  me  to  expatiate  on  tl.is  matter. 

Tiik  Indians  of  Cowlitz.  * 
The  Cowlitz  Inilians  love  with  revereni-ethe 
missionaries  who  are  established  aniin^  liiem. 
They  have  a  language  of  their  own,  ditterent 
froni  that  of  the  Chinook  In  li  .ns.  Tliey  are 
tolerably  numerous  but  p  'or.  Thfy  -rive  ns 
hopes  of  their  conversion,  .\f.cr  the  visit  of 
the  vicar  general,  they  said  t<>  the  -'etiersof 
("owlitz:  '  rhepriestsaregoiiigtost  ly  wiih  us; 
we  are  (xior,  and  have  nothing  to  g  ve  (lit  in: 
ThihirirhiDi  iitsdiko,  inilr  ikta  ii('y(vk<(:  we  want 
todosonielhingfortliem,  we  will  work,  make 
fences,  and  whatever  else  tliey  wish  us  to  do." 
Several  of  them  came  to  see  the  m  ssioiiarics 
iit  Vancouver,  and  expre.sst>d  the  m  )si  ardeut 
desire  to  have  them  come  and  rem  .In  wiih 

Thk  Willamettk  Indians 

Tlie  vieir  general  who  pass  •  lamo  iih  among 
the  Canadians  established  on  this  river,  could 
not  speak  highly  of  the  Indians  be  had  seen — 
the  Kuldixmi'i^-  They  were  very  numerous 
l.tf.>re  tlie  levrrs.  but  are  now  re  1  need  to  a 
smaHnimiber,  winch  keeps  decrea-*ing  every 
dav.    Thev  aie  poor  and  lazv;  thieving  may  be 


'^  Cowlii/.  is  a  corruption  of  the  original  In- 
dian word  ro-idl-ifz  used  by  the  early  settlers. 


coi.sidered  their  prednirnant  pj'ssion.  They 
wi-h  to  keep  away  from  the  ndssionaiii-s  as 
much  as  I  he  Cowlitz  Imliaiis  wish  to  be  n<ar 
them.  Hardly  any  of  them  were  seen  by  ihe 
vicar  general  at  tne  chapel  assisting  at  the  in- 
structions. lUit  it  seems  «e  might  succt-id  bet- 
ter among  the  diHer»nt  triltes<.f  this  nation 
who  are  settled  on  Ihe  triluifaries  of  Ihe  Upper 
Willamette.  From  these  they  take  (heir  dif- 
ferent iianies.  I  learn  there  are  fourteen  or  tlf- 
teeii  dift'eieiit  dialects  spoken  by  these  triUw; 
tliey  are  noi  so  e-s«'nlially  different  lint  that 
they  can  understand  each  other.  Moreover, 
the  Chinook  jarg<m  is  spoken  among  the  Ka- 

Thk  Northkun  Indians. 

In  Fi.rt  Okanagan  we  had  information  of  a 
>;r(  at  many  Indians  w  ho  are  settled  at  a  great 
distance  ir'om  the  H<n  ky  Mountains,  towards 
Ihe  North.  Some  C  iiadians  in  the  service  of 
the  lion.  Huil.-on  Hay  Co  ,  in  tho.se  quarters, 
loul  Us  that  pi  iists  wi  ultl  do  «  ell  among  them, 
altlu.ugh  ihey  are  i.ol  civili/.ed  as  those  of  the 
Cidumliia.  \Ve  will  let  them  know  the  object 
of  our  arrival  in  this  country,  but  we  cannot 
st'iid  word  to  them  before  next  summer. 

The  Ncz  PerccK  tribe  is  very  numerous.  They 
ate  mostly  settled  on  large  prairies  not  far  from 
lite  mduiitaiiis  towards  the  North.  TheCan- 
;  diaiis  who  live  among  them  lor  the  purpose 
ol  (ibtaiiiing  the  beaver  fur,  have  for  a  long 
lime  spoken  to  tliem  of  the  black  robes — the 
<hi«  fs  of  the  Flench.  Naturally  good,  mild, 
iiiid  full  of  resiM  ct  for  the  prayer  to  the  Master 
of  life,  they  anxiously  (hsire  that  priests  may 
come  lo  ills;  I  lift  them,  and  make  known  lo 
I  hem  the  religitni  of  the  French.  They  have 
even  imtigined  tl  at  they  could  buy  one,  and 
have  inquiietl  of  lilt  Canadians  how  many 
horses  and  beavtrs  it  would  take  to  h:ive  one 
stay  with  them,  saying,  that  "he  would  want 
for  iiothinj:,  and  that  the  best  of  the  spoils  of 
the  chase  w<iuld  lie  given  to  him."  (lOod  dis- 
cipline and  morals  reign  among  them.  May 
we  not  here  exclaim  with  the  Savior  of  the 
world:  Slems qiikkm  wulta,  opemrii autem  pnuci. 
What  can  two  missionaries  do  ani<iiigsomany 
tribes  but  desire  that  the  Lord  may  send  mis- 
sionary priests  to  six  w  tliem  the  way  to  heav- 
en, for  which  they  have  been  created,  and  to 
tell  them  that  their  souls  ate  the  price  of  the 
Blood  of  the  Savior,  lioyule  ti-yo  dominum  mea- 
»w  ut  mitUit  openirios  in  nusmn  smun. 

Ileccivc,  Rev.  IX-ar  8lr, 

The  assurance  of  my  esteem, 

M.  DEMERS, 
Missionary  priest  of  Oregon. 


P^ 


W^ 


m^'mmKm 


tfi-VK  "nT^rrvunk 


Catholic  Cixkcii  in  Okkgox. 


23 


(published  APRIL  ilf:?  1878  ) 

First  Ma^s  at  Fobt  Vancouver. 
Condition  of  the  Country. 

VOVEMBER  25th,  1838,  was  as  beautiful  as 
^\  a  summer  day.  It  bciii^r  Sunday,  prepar- 
ations were  made  in  the  school  house  for  the 
first  Mass  ever  said  in  lower  Oregon.  Tiie 
huildini.^  was  too  small  to  contain  the  iTi>wd 
composed  of  the  gentlemen,  ladies  and  Cath- 
olics of  the  outside  camp.  A  solemn  high  Mass 
of  thanksgiving  was  sung  by  the  vicar  general 
who  gave  an  instruction  suitable  for  the  occa- 
sion. Vespers  were  also  chanted  in  thi  after- 
noon. The  divine  service  was  moving,  even 
to  tears,  as  many  of  the  Cauadians  had  not 
heard  Mass  for  ten,  fit^een  and  even  twenty 
years.  For  them  that  day  was  one  that  would 
never  be  forgotten.  They  saw  at  last  that  they 
liad  priests  among  them,  to  instruct  themselves, 
their  wives  and  their  children,  to  admini.sier 
to  them  the  sacraments,  and  give  them  at  the 
last  ai:d  awful  hour  the  consolations  of  holy 
C'liiireh.  In  all  this  they  felt  happy,  aii<l  giv- 
iuii  thanks  to  God,  they  were  willing  an  I  ready 
to  obey  iheir  pastors  faithfully. 

It  may  be  well  to  take  a  view  of  (he  couitry 
in  relation  to  the  It.'u  n  tribes,  the  servants 
of  the  Hudson  BayC'i  ,and  Catholic  uii  I  I'rot- 
fstaiit  settlers,  in  order  to  have  a  cunvirt  idea 
of  tlie  condition  of  things  in  the  mission  en- 
trusted to  their  care.  Their  mission  extended 
t'idin  California  (42nd  paMllel'  to  the  North- 
orn  ;:lHcial  sea,  between  the  Painfic  OvVaii  and 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  Indian  tribes  were 
II  lunerous,  scattered  all  over  I  he  coniii  ry,  speak- 
ing a  multitude  of  divers  and  difficult  tongues, 
and  aiidicted  to  poligamy  and  all  the  vices  of 
liagaiiisnj.  The  servants  of  the  H.  B.  Co.  in 
uiive  ser.ice  in  its  28  foris  for  the  fur  trade, 
were  ill  ;:reat  majority  Catholics;  so  also  were 
tlie  four  families  settled  in  Cowlitz,  and  the  26 
« -it.'iblished  in  the  Willamette  valley,  with  their 
wives  and  children.  .Many  of  the  servants  and 
-it  tiers  had  forgotten  their  prayers  and  the  re- 
li:;i<»u«  principles  they  had  received  in  their 
V'ltith.     The  woinea  they  had  taken  for  their 


wives  were  pagans,  ar  baplized  without  suffi- 
<ieiH  knowledge.  Their  diildivn  were  raised 
in  ignorance.  One  may  well  imagine  that  m 
many  places  disorders,  rudeness  of  murals  and 
indecency  of  practices,  answered  to  that  stale 
of  ignorance. 

There  were  also  found  in  the  vjilley  of  the 
Willamette  some  Protestant  settlers,  and  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  about  30  Prot- 
estant ministers,  with  their  numerous  attend- 
anis,  their  wives  and  children.  The  Meth- 
odists had  two  missions,  one  in  the  Willamette 
valley,  and  the  other  at  the  Dalles.  The  Pres- 
byterians were  established  at  Wailatpu  among 
the  Walla  Wallas,  at  Lapwai  among  the  Nez 
Perces.  and  en  the  Spokane  river.  Besides 
the.-'",  the  II.  B.  Co.  had  its  own  chaplain  at 
VancJHiver  fur  two  years  These  ministers 
were  zealous,  making  efforts  and  using  all 
means  possible  to  gain  converts  to  their  sees. 

As  to  the  Cat  holic  settlers  and  their  families, 
although  considerably  numerous,  they  were  not 
cily  without  any  clergyman  of  their  faith  to 
teach  them  and  tlieir  families  the  Catholic  doc- 
trine, but  were  nu>reover  exposed  to  the  most 
seducing  tenipiaiions  of  perversion  ;  for,  if  on 
the  one  hand,  they  were  deprived  of  all  the 
means  recissary  to  practice  the  worship  com- 
manded by  their  faith  and  claimed  by  cons- 
cience, on  the  other  hand,  the  practice  of  their 
separated  brethren  and  the  exhortations  of  the 
ministers,  were  immediately  at  hand,  as  no 
pains  were  spared  and  nothing  neglected  to 
induce  iheiii  to  join  the  sects. 

Kev.  Mr.  Beaver,  who  arrived  from  England 
at  Fort  Vancouver  as  chaplain  in  1836,  was 
anxious  to  bring  the  < 'at  holies  of  the  fort  to  his 
Sunday  services;  but  h.<  ^'hs  checked  by  the 
good  Dr.  McLaughlin  ;  nevertheless,  he  re- 
newed his  efforts  after  the  Dr.  left  for  England. 
And  strange  to  say,  a  report  came  later  that  a 
list  containiDg  the  names  of  Catholics  begging 
Mr.  heaver  tu  attend  to  them,  had  appeared  in 
one  of  the  newspapers  in  London.  No  doubt 
this  was  a  forged  Irick;  but  it  is  certain  that  he  I 
joined  with  the  Methodists  in  saying;  *'No  need 
of  priests ;  I  suffice  here,  and  the  Methodists 
iu  the  Willamette  valley."  As  for  the  Meth- 
odist ministers,  we  have  seen  before,  they  were 
visiting  the  French  settlers,  and  succeeded  in 


24 


Historical  Sketches  of  ihb 


V) 

\ 


bringing  some  of  them  to  their  Sunday  meet- 
ings, baptized  8<)me  women  and  performed 
marriages.  This  being  so,  one  may  under- 
stand why  the  grant  of  passage  by  the  H.  B. 
Co.  met  with  so  much  opposition.  The  firsi 
request  of  the  bishop  of  Juliopolis  was  refused. 
On  a  second  application  it  was  granted  for  two 
priests  in  the  canoes  of  1837,  but  was  after- 
wards withdrawn,  for  the  reason,  no  doubt, 
of  not  favoring  an  establishment  on  a  foreign 
ground,  but  also  in  order  to  give  the  Protestant 
ministers  more  time  tostreugthen  their  position 
and  to  make  proselytes.  Hence,  of  the  two 
missionaries  appointed  to  start  in  1837,  only 
one  was  allowed  to  reach  Bed  River  that  same 
year.  Such  was  the  situation  of  the  country 
in  1838.  Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  all  com- 
binations and  obstacles,  the  two  Catholic  mis- 
sionaries, Deo  jiivunle,  arrived  safe,  and  were 
lodged  in  the  room  which  Mr.  Beaver  and  lady 
had  left  three  weeks  before  for  England. 

From  the  foregoing,  it  is  easy  to  understand 
what  the  missionaries  had  to  do.  They  were 
to  warn  their  flock  against  the  dangers  of  .se- 
ll ;i<rt  ion,  to  destroy  the  false  impression  al- 
rciidy  received,  to  enlighten  and  confirm  .he 
fiiitlt  of  the  wavering  and  deceived  consciences, 
10  bring  back  to  the  practice  of  religion  and 
virtue  all  who  had  forsaken  them  for  longyears, 
or  who,  raised  iu  infidelity,  had  never  known 
nor  practiced  any  of  them.  They  were  to 
tJHch  the  men  tiieir  duties,  the  women  and 
cliildren  their  prayers  and  catechism,  to  biip- 
tize  lliem,  bless  their  unions,  and  estnlilisli 
good  order  and  holiness  of  life  e^erywheri!. 
In  a  word,  they  were  to  run  after  the  sheep 
when  they  were  iu  danger.  Hence  their  pass- 
ing so  often  from  one  post  to  another — for 
neither  the  whites  nor  the  Indians  claimed 
their  assistance  in  vain.  And  it  was  enough 
for  thi'Ui  to  hear  that  some  false  prophet  had 
penetrated  into  a  place,  or  infeirdeiT  visiting 
iome  locality,  to  induce  the  missionaries  to  go 
there  immediately,  to  defend  the  failh  and  pre- 
vent error  from  propagating  itself. 

In  the  mean  time  let  no  uue  imagine  that 
all  this  was  eff'-jcted  by  enchantment ;  no,  on 
the  contrary,  they  had  to  make  many  jour- 
neys, and  had  to  undergo  much  pain  and  pa- 
tience in  order  to  caution  the  flock  against  the 


dangers  of  seduction  and  error,  to  enlighten  the 
ignorant,  to  recall  the  wavering  consciences, 
and  bring  back  to  the  true  fold  the  lost  sheep. 
Oue  may  well  understand  what  time  and  pains 
were  required  to  come  so  far,  and  that  after 
having  succeeded,  it  would  not  have  been  pru- 
dent to  abandon  them  too  soon  to  themselves. 
This  said,  let  us  now  follow  the  two  mission- 
aries iu  their  undertaking. 

Missions  to  various  places  and  among 

THE  Indians  in  1887  and  1838. 

Mission  at  Vancouver. 

The  mission  at  this  post  lasted  four  months 
and  twenty  days,  (from  Nov.  24, 1838  to  April 
1  .'i,  1839)  without  interruption,  attended  by  the 
two  missionaries,  save  nine  days  spent  by  the 
vi.  r  general  on  a  visit  to  Cowlitz,  and  34  for 
\ui  '^oing  to  and  giving  the  mission  at  Willam- 
etto.  The  Catholics  of  the  place  did  not  re- 
main indifferent  to  the  favor  afforded  them  to 
have  tie  premises  of  the  apostolic  labors  of  the 
two  priests;  they  faithftiUy  corresponded  to  the 
grace.  The  missionaries  took  but  two  days  to 
rest  from  their  long  and  tedious  journey,  for 
the  fouriji  and  fifth  day  after  their  arrival  saw 
them  at  work  ;  the  first,  in  favor  of  the  servants 
and  their  families,  the  second,  in  favor  of  the 
ladies  and  I  heir  children  at  the  fort.  On  Mon- 
day the  26th,  they  were  invited  by  theGovernor 
to  'make  a  visit  to  the  stores  and  depots  of  the 
Company,  of  the  clerk's  office,  the  houses  of  the 
bourgeois,  clerks  and  their  families.  On  Tues- 
day, he  accompanied  them  on  their  visit  to  the 
village,  which  lies  next  to  the  fort  and  contains 
the  houses  of  the  servants  and  their  families. 
The  census  made,  gave  16  Catholics,  Canadians 
and  Iroquois.  They  especially  took  the  names 
of  the  men  and  women  who  were  to  be  separ- 
ated before  being  married.  The  Indian  pop- 
ulation on  the  shore  of  the  Columbia  and  neigh- 
borhood was  supposed  to  be  300  souls. 

The  holy  ministry  began  for  the  men  and 
their  families  on  Tuesday  evening,  by  gather- 
ing them  in  the  fort,  on  that  day  and  hence- 
forth,  iu  regular  meetings  in  which,  after  the 
evening  prayer  maf'  '•'  common,  a  pious  read- 
ing was  made  anil  o.  J  songs  were  "•:;i\r 
in  French;  a  praci         h    '.  wntinuedaud      js 


em 


I*— i^ 


im 


Catholic  Ciici;ch  in  CrKGON. 


kept  with  the  ;ireatc8t  8alit>fafiir)i: ;  in  conse- 
quence of  whicli  the  whole  assembly  wns  soon 
iusitriKted  to  sing  'he  first  verse  of  50  hymns, 
the  men  forming  one  choir,  and  the  women, 
the  girli*  and  the  children,  tli«  other;  each  choir 
singing  alternately  after  the  Ist,  2tid,  3rd,  &c., 
verse  snng  by  the  aolna.  These  meetings  be- 
came so  attractive  as  to  draw,  on  many  occa- 
sions, the  bonrgeois,  the  clercs  and  their  fam- 
ilies to  enjoy  the  pleasant  and  harmonionit  con- 
certs. The  Indians  themselves  did  not  remain 
insensible  to  the  charms  of  these  chants,  nor 
were  they  the  last  to  come  and  hear  them  in 
large  numbers,  sometimes  70  and  100.  On 
Feb.  20ih,  1839,  there  were  140  assisting  at 
the  evening  prayers. 

The  holy  work  began  for  the  ladies  and  liitle 
girls  of  the  fort  on  Wednesday,  the  28th,  by 
teaching  them  their  prayers  and  catechism  in 
French.  By  persevering  in  this  holy  work, 
many  of  them  soon  became  able  to  say  the  Ro- 
sary, a  holy  practice  of  devotion  in  honor  of 
the  immaculate  Mother  of  Qod,  which  the  two 
missionaries  established  in  Oregon  from  the 
beginning.  Rev.  M.  Deuiers,  who  made  the 
beads,  <Ustributed  fif^y  of  them  in  a  short  time. 
The  catechism  was  held  in  ihe  forenocm.  The 
afiernoon  was  reserved  for  teaching  the  pray- 
ers and  holy  truths  to  the  Indian  women  and 
children  of  the  village,in  order  to  prepare  them 
tor  baptism.  The  difficulty  here  was  great,  as 
they  ha«l  to  learn  these  prayers  in  Fn'iicli,  and 
the  task  -ould  not  be  completed  but  by  a  long 
and  tedious  repetition  of  them  for  weeks  and 
months.  This  catechism  was  frequented  by 
CO  women  and  girls,  and  18  little  boys. 

The  Indians  were  not  neglected  ;  they  were 
gathered  twice  a  day,  in  the  forenoon  atid  in 
lite  evening.  Rev.  M.  Demers,  who  had  learn- 
ed the  Chinook  jargon  in  three  or  four  weeks, 
was  their  teacher.  Later,  iu  January,  having 
translated  the  i^i^n  of  the  C/o««.  the  Our  Father 
and  the  Hail  Mary,  into  that  dialect,  he  taught 
them  to  these  poor  Indians,  who  were  ninch 
pleased  to  learn  them.  In  Febriuiry,  he  suc- 
ceeded iii  composing  some  beantiful  hymns  in 
the  same  dialect  which  the  Indians,  as  well  as 
tlie  mill,  women  and  children,  chante«l  in  the 
<  liurch  w'!th  the  greatest  delight.  Thus  by  pa- 
lience  and  coustaDcy  iu  teaching,  the  niission- 


iirics  were  pleased  to  see  that  their  hard  labors 
were  beginning  to  bear  some  fruits. 

The  forenoon  catechism  lasted  generally 
from  8  to  1 1 :30  o'clock  ;  the  afternoon  session 
from  1  to  5,  and  sometimes  6  o'clock.  The 
interval  was  interspersed  with  singing  Chinook 
hymns,  teaching  catechism,  and  some  relaxa- 
tion. While  Fr.  Demers  was  instructing  the 
Indians,  the  vicar  general  taught  the  Cana- 
dians, nnd  gave  instructions  in  French  to  the 
hoys  who  were  able  to  read  English,  so  that 
by  such  means,  some  of  them  were  soon  able 
to  assist  in  teaching  the  prayers  and  catechism 
toothers.  The  Gregorian  chant,  a.id  serving 
ft  Mass  were  not  forgotten  ;  and  it  was  after 
these  exercises  that  the  missionaries  heard  the 
confessions  of  those  who  had  do  time  to  come 
during  the  day.  By  all  this  it  may  be  seen 
that  the  two  priests  were  far  from  being  idle. 


1 


oSbJvA wis  tS* 

(PUBLISBKD  APRIL  18tH  1878.) 

Rkharkablk  Conversion 
OF  Doctor  John  McLaughlin. 

^T  is  but  just  to  make  special  mention  of  the 
mportant  services  which  Ur.  McLaughlin 
— though  not  a  Catholic — has  rendered  to  the 
French  Canadians  and  their  families,  during 
the  fourteen  years  he  was  governor  of  Fort 
Vancouver.  He  it  was  who  read  to  them  the 
prayers  on  Sundays.  Besides  the  English 
school  kept  for  the  children  of  the  bourgeois, 
he  had  a  separate  one  maintained  at  his  own 
expense,  in  wliieh  prayers  and  the  catechism 
were  taught  in  French  to  the  Catholic  women 
and  children  on  Sundays  and  week  days,  by 
his  orders.  He  also  encouraged  the  chant  of 
the  hymns  in  which  he  was  assisted  by  1 " 
wife  and  daughter,  who  took  much  pleasure  \a 
this  exercise.  He  visited  and  examine<l  his 
school  once  a  week,  which  already  numbered 
several  good  scholars,  who  suuu  Icnruud  to  read 
French  and  became  a  great  help  to  the  priests. 
He  it  was  who  saved  the  Cathblics  of  the  furt 
and  their  children  from  the  dangers  of  per- 
version, aud  who,  flnding  the  log  church  the 


'>() 


Historical  Sketches  of  the 


CHnaJiHiiJi  Imd  liiiilt,  n  few  miles  below  Fnir- 
liekl  in  1836,  not  properly  locnted,  ordered  it 
to  be  removed,  and  rebuilt  on  a  large  prairie, 
its  present  beautiful  site. 

To  that  excellent  man  was  our  holy  religion 
indebted  for  whatever  morality  the  missiona- 
ries found  in  Vancouvt  r,  as  well  as  for  the 
welfare  and  temporal  advantages  the  settlers 
of  Cowlitz  and  the  Willamette  valley  enjoyed 
at  that  time  At  the  time  the  twn  missionaries 
arrived  Dr.  McLaughlin  was  al).>i  nt  on  a  visit 
to  Canada  and  England,  but  was  expected  to 
return  in  the  following  Heplembcr. 

The  good  work  of  that  upright  man  deserved 
a  reward  ;  he  received  it  by  being  bntught  to 
the  true  Church  in  the  following  manner: — 

When  he  was  once  on  a  visit  to  Fort  N'is- 
qually,  a  book  entitled  "The  End  of  Contro- 
versy," written  by  Dr.  Miluer,  fell  into  his 
hands.  He  read  it  with  avidity,  and  was  over- 
come and  converted  at  once.  On  his  return  to 
Fort  Vancouver,  he  made  his  abjuration  and 
profession  of  faith  at  the  hands  of  the  vicar 
general  on  Nov.  18th,  1842.  He  made  his 
icnfession  and  had  his  marriage  blessed  on  the 
same  day,  and  prepared  himself  for  his  Hrst 
ciunmuiiion  by  fasting  during  tlie  four  weeks 
of  Advent,  which  he  passed  on  his  claim  at  the 
"Willamette  Falls,"  now  called  Oregon  City, 
in  having  the  place  surveyed  into  blocks  and 
lots.  Being  thus  prepareil,  he  made  his  first 
communion  at  Fort  Vancouver,  at  midnight 
Mass  on  Christmas,  '  ith  a  large  numlK>r  of 
the  faithfid  women  and  servants  of  the  Hud- 
son Bay  Go.  The  little  chapel  was  then  full 
of  white  people  and  Indians ;  it  ivas  beauti- 
fully decorated  and  brilliantly  illuminated;  the 
plain  chant  was  grave,  the  Christmas  hymns, 
in  French  and  in  Chinook  jurgon,  alternately 
by  the  two  choirs  of  men  and  women,  was  im- 
pressive ;  as  well  as  the  holy  functions  around 
the  altar ;  in  a  word,  it  was  cuptivating  and 
elevating  to  the  minds  of  the  faithful,  comme- 
morating the  great  day  of  the  birth  of  our  Sa- 
vi<ir.  It  was  on  such  an  occasion  that  Hon. 
Peter  H.  Burnett,  being  at  Vancouver  in  1843, 
and  alti-ndini;  lii^^li  Mass  as  a  mere  spectator, 
at  midnight  om  (.hrislmas,  received  the  first 
iiiipressions  lending  to  his  conversion,  as  men- 
tioned in  the  preface  of  his  book  entitled  ''The 


Path  •-.'hich  led  a  Pr.Jtestaut  Lawyer  to  fJie 
Catholic  Church." 

From  the  time  of  his  conversion  Dr.  John 
McLaughlin  showed  himself  a  true,  practical 
('hristian,  and  a  worthy  member  of  the  <  'hiirch. 
never  missiag  Mass  nor  vesper-*  on  Sundays  or 
holy  days,  going  to  c«)mmnnion  nearly  every 
month,  and  preaching  by  word  and  example. 
On  going  to  church  each  Sunday  he  was  often 
accompanie<i  by  some  Protestant  friends ;  one 
of  them  inviting  him  to  go  and  assist  at  the  ser- 
vice of  his  church,  he  answered  :  "No  sir,  I  go 
to  the  Church  that  teaches  truth,  but  not  'o  one 
that  teaches  error."  He  was  kind  to  his  chil- 
dren and  grand  children  ;  his  son-in-law  fol- 
lowing his  example. 

Dr.  McLaughlin  was  born  in  the  district  of 
Quebec,  Can.,  and  died  at  his  residence  in  Or- 
egon City  on  Sept.  3rd.  1857,  aged  73  years  ; 
fortified  with  all  the  consolations  of  the  Church, 
after  a  lingering  illness  of  two  years,  which  he 
bore  with  Christian  patience  and  resignation, 
about  three  months  before  the  return  of  arch- 
bishop Ulanc!ict  from  South  America  in  185*7. 

Dr.  McLaughlin  was  the  father  of  the  or- 
phans and  servants  of  the  H.  B.  Co. ;  the  father 
of  the  French-Canadian  colonies  of  Cowlitz 
and  the  Willnmette  valley;  of  all  the  American 
iuimi<;ranls,andagreat  benefactor  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church.  On  hearing  of  this  great  man, 
our  holy  Father,  Pope  Gregory  XVI.  sent  him 
the  insignia  of  the  knights  of  the  distinguished 
onler  of  St.  Gregory  the  great,  which  arch- 
bishop Blanchet  delivered  to  him  on  his  re- 
turn from  hJurope  lu  August,  1847. 

Missionary  Labors  at  Fort  Vancouver. 

Af\er  the  arrival  of  the  priests,  the  Lord's 
day  had  been  sanctified  by  regular  public  ser- 
vices, consisting  of  a  high  Mass  with  an  in- 
struction in  the  forenoon,  and  vespers  and  Sun- 
day school  in  the  afternoon.  The  chant  at 
Mass  and  vespers  was  the  Gregorian,  for  some 
of  the  men  were  already  able  to  sing  the  Kyrie, 
Gloria,  Sanctus  and  Agnus  Dei,  or  were  soon 
able  to  do  so.  The  singing  of  French  hymns 
by  the  choii-s  of  men  and  women,  as  aforesaid, 
added  not  a  little  to  the  solemnity  of  the  service. 
The  large  building  granted  for  the  purpose  was 


iriFTwasa.*'  y  r-^fw 


r  to  tiie 

)r.  John 
)rHCtio«l 
•  'hnrch. 
idrty8  or 
ly  every 
xample. 
H8  often 
u\h  ;  one 
tiie  ser- 
sir,  I  go 
3t  to  one 
liis  chil- 
Ihw  fol- 

strict  of 
■e  in  Or- 
J  years ; 
Church, 
'liich  he 
^nation, 
of  arch- 
n 1851. 

the  or- 
e  father 
Cowlitz 
nericau 
le  Cath- 
il  inaa, 
eut  him 
giiished 
Ij  arch- 

his  re- 


TVEB. 

>  Lord'd 
)lic  ser- 

•  an  io- 
ud  SuD- 
hant  at 
DT  some 

*  Kyrie, 
sre  soon 

hymns 
jresaid, 
service, 
ose  was 


Catholic  Ckcrch  in  Okeqon. 


27 


•.'.neriilly  full  of  Catliolic.*,  lunon^r  vhom  witj 
ntien  .<e<wi  ii  luiiuber  of  noii-Catliolivs. 

As  lo  the  Protfstiiut  service  on  Sunday, 
nliifh  was  ti.e  Kpiscopnl,  it  was  held  in  the 
iiirjre  hall  of  the  governor's  liousi-  an<l  reail  by 
liiui.  The  American  ministers  who  traveled 
pretty  often  and  were  always  lod;;red  and  polite- 
ly treated  l»y  the  governor  and  other  bour- 
geois, were  seldom  or  never  invite)!  to  hold  the 
Kjtiscopal  service  on  Sunday.  Their  singin<' 
with  their  wivjs  in  their  rooms  late  in  tlioeve" 
uings.  (Ml  many  occasions,  was  the  means  of 
drawing  .some  of  the  ladies  and  children  to 
hear  thi-m. 

Chrisimas  Day,  which  in  1838  came  on 
Tuesday,  and  being  observed  as  a  general  hol- 
iday by  the  Company,  the  men  had  u  chance 
to  celebrate  it.  There  were  two  low  Masses 
at  inidn  ght  irt  the  room  of  the  priests  at  which 
some  a.s8iste<l.  The  hi  '  Mass,  vespers  and 
iiistruelion  took  place  a,  .isuni  (ui  Sundays. 
The  music  which  accompanied  the  (Gregorian 
.bant  at  Mass,  aud  that  of  the  hymns  at  vcs- 
|>c  rs  in  place  of  the  anthems  after  the  psahns, 
rendered  the  office  of  Chri.stmas  more  soletnn 
liian  iisiuil ;  so  that  all  returned  home  well 
pleascil  and  contented. 

As  tlie  Company  used  to  send  over  the 
Itocky  Mountains  in  the  beginning  of  March 
every  year  an  express  to  carry  its  papers  to 
Canada,  the  missionaries  avaikMl  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  to  .send  to  Quebec  the  his- 
tory of  their  journey  from  Lachine  to  Van- 
couver, with  an  accfuint  of  their  labors  during 
the  journey  and  since  their  arrival,  an  item  oT 
which,  extending  lo  Man-h  1st  18;^!>,  was: 
baptisms,  S09;  marriages,  Gl;  burials,  !>.  Out 
of  the  309  baptisms,  175  were  made  on  the 
journey  and  131  since  their  arrival.  Out  of 
the  174,  122  were  made  on  the  east  und  .)3  on 
thewest  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Out  of  1,34 
74  were  from  the  VVillaniette.  .'>3  from  Van- 
couver, and  V  from  Cowlitz.  Of  the  Gl  mar- 
riages. 25  were  from  the  Wilhmiette,  24  from 
Vancouver,  and  12  from  the  east  uf  the  liocky 
Mountains. 

First  Visit  to  Cowlitz  Mission. 


According  to  an  agreement  made  between 
lie  bishopof  Juliopolis  and  Sir  George  Sirap- 


•■'on.  governor  of  the  Hudson  B.iy  Co  .  the  prin- 
cipal sta'ion  of  the  Catholic  nr.vsioiiaries  was 
to  be  at  the  settlen;ent  on  the  Co.vliiz  ri\er. 
because  it  was  not,  like  the  Wilbimette  settle- 
ment, on  grounds  whose  owner-xliip  was  dis- 
puted by  Great  Britain  and  the  United  Stale.*. 
To  the  end,  therefore,  to  -how  his  willingness 
to  carry  out   that  Hgrecmen'.  and  order  the 
buihiing  necessary  for  a  residence,  the   vicar 
general  accoaipanied  bv  Augustine  Kochon, 
a  servant  brought  f-nmCanada,  left  Vancou- 
ver on  Wednesday  afternoon.  December  12th. 
1838,  in  a  canoe  paddled  by  four  Indians,  aud 
reached  the  Cowlitz  setlKnienf  on  Sunday,  the 
IGih,  at  10  a.  m.     The  tirst   Mass  ever  cele- 
brated at  that  place  was  said  on  that  day,  and 
anoihcr  one  on  Monday  in  the  house  of  Mr. 
'!?'"\"I'  ^'"""^"''on,  before  the  settlers  and  <heir 
families,  who   "era  much  pleased  to  learn  that 
the  priests  were  to  reside  among  Ihe.n.  Haviu" 
visited  'he  place  and  chosen  for  the  mission  a 
piece  of  land  of  clear  prairie  of  f;40  acres, 
strewed  oidy  with  rare  borders  of  timber,  he 
left  his  servant  there  to  square  the  timber  for 
a  hou.«e  and  barn,  and  lo  make  rails  for  fences. 
'J'he  Cowliiz  .«etllenient  has  been  five  years 
in  existence,    li  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
in  a  I  rairie  .'•ix  miles  long  and  two  miles  wide, 
boiuided  tin  the  east  by  the  river,  on  the  west 
bya  iargequantityoftimber.     It  is  a  very  fine 
location  for  a  ccdony.     Its  soil  is  rich  aud  fer- 
tile; grass,  fishing  and  game  are  in  abundance. 
The  sitnation  if,  beautiful:  in  the  north  west 
appears  Mour.i,  Rainier,  and  Mount  St.  Helen 
on  the  east,  whose  high  peak  is  always  covered 
with  snow.     The  Hud.son  Bay  Co.  has  a  farm 
there  on  which  a  large  number  of  men  are  em- 
ployed in  farming  on  a  large  scale.    The  young 
colony  was  then  composed  of  only  four  Can! 
adian  farmers,  whom  Dr.  .McLaughlin  had  dis- 
charged from  furt:,er  long  services.    The  Cow- 
litz river  runs  from  north  to  south  and  empties 
into  the  Columbia  ;  it  is  very  tortuouS  and  full 
of  snags,  which  renders  its  navigation  difficult 
aud  dangerous,  especially  for  small  crafts,  and 
by  reason  of  its  numerous  rapids  of  dangerous 
ascent 

Having  made  seven  baptisms,  given  to  the 
men  the  necessary  advices,  and  recommended 
Mr.  Fagnant,  on'  of  he  farmers,  who  was  able 


-yi^w^  "xas^yaigsgsi^ia^Ms^cBiAmy^^iMiii^  Mi-itnnw  i  ■ 


28 


Historical  Sivetciiks  of  the 


to  read,  to  leiu-li  tlie  pniyvrs  and  i-iilechisiii  In 
tlic  women  and  diildreii.  llie  viciir  ;;enenil  left 
on  Tiu'stLiy  inoriiiii;;  llie  18tli,  luid  reHehed 
Vrtueoiiver  on  Tlmrsday  tlie  20tli.  at  4 :30  j).  !:i. 
Governor  Douglas  had  tlie  politeness  to  go  and 
meet  him  on  the  shore  with  Father  Demers,  cu 
his  arrival.  On  liis  way  up  and  down  he  vis- 
ited some  Indian  lodges  to  announce  to  them 
the  arrival  of  the  Blackyowns  who  comes  to 
speak  of  the  Great  Spirit  and  make  theiu  good. 

First  Mission  to  the  Willamette  Vallev. 

This  mission  lasted  about  30  days ;  from 
Jnnuary  5th  1839  to  February  4th.  This  val- 
ley takes  iti  name  from  the  river  which  flows 
through  it  from  south  to  north.  It  is  a  con- 
tinuance of  large  and  level  prairies  strewed 
with  timber  which  is  found  specially  along  the 
banks  of  the  streams.  The  east  shore  of  it 
may  well  be  called  the  granary  of  Oregon,  the 
western  shore  being  generally  mouutainous. 
The  settlement  of  this  valley  began  as  follows: 
Thei-e  remained  in  the  country  three  French 
Canadians,  remnants  of  the  old  expedition  of 
Hunt  a»id  Astor,  viz :  Stephen  Lucier,  one  of 
the  former,  and  Joseph  Gervais  and  Louis  La- 
bonte  of  the  latter.  S.  Lucier  being  tired  of 
leading  a  wandering  life  began  in  1829  to  cul- 
tivate the  land  near  Fort  Vancouver,  and  get- 
ting dissatisfied  with  his  first  choice,  he  left  it 
in  1830,  and,  removing  to  the  Willamette  val- 
ley, settled  a  few  miles  above  Champoeg,  then, 
called  by  the  Canadians  Campemevt  de  Sable. 
Following  his  example  the  two  others,  J.  Ger- 
vais and  L.  Lab(mt^  followed  him  in  1831  and 
settled  some  distance  south,  one  on  the  right 
and  the  other  on  lhelet\  side  of  the  river.  Some 
old  servants  of  the  Hhdson  Bay  Co.,  being  dis- 
charged frou',  further  services,  went  over  to 
them  and  increased  their  number.  The  good 
and  generous  Dr.  McLaughlin  encouraged  the 
colony  ami  helped  it  with  all  his  power.  It 
continued  to  grow  up  every  year,  and  its  set- 
tlers began  to  feel  the  necessity  of  having  some 
priests  to  reconcile  them  to  God  and  also  to 
instruct  their  wives  and  children.  The  nearest 
bishop  they  could  apply  lo  was  at  Red  River. 
They  sent  him  a  petition  in  1834,  asking  for 
priests.  Their  request  was  without  success, 
so  they  renewed  their  petition  in  1835,  and 


this  time  it  stemed  they  were  to  be  heard,  for 
the  bishop  of  Juliopolis  obtained,  in  1H3('',  a 
passage  for  two  priests  in  the  canoes  of  18.J7 
to  Oregon.  But  in  the  interval  of  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  missionaries,  other  reflections  su- 
perseded the  first  ;  and  on  remarks  being  made 
that,  as  there  were  in  that  country  Anglican, 
Methodist  and  Presbyterian  ministers,  the  dii- 
ference  of  tt-achings  might  create  dissentions 
among  the  Indians  ;  for  this  reason,  and  per- 
haps to  give  them  time  lo  proselyte,  the  grant 
of  passage  was  withdrawn.  But  having  made 
new  eflbrts  the  bishop  obtained  the  chiimcd 
passage  in  the  canoes  of  1838,  hence  their  ar- 
rival and  their  labors  at  Vancouver. 


(published  APRIL  2oTH  1878.) 

THE  Catholics  of  the  Willamette  valley 
were  very  anxious  to  see  among  them  at 
least  one  of  the  priests  they  had  so  earnestly 
as-kcd  for.  On  llie  day  appointed  for  going, 
two  large  canoes  from  the  valley,  conducted  by 
two  of  the  most  respected  ciiizens  of  the  colony, 
Mr.  Stephen  Lucier  and  Mr.  Peter  B^l^que, 
w  ere  ready  at  Vancouver  for  departure.  The 
vicar  general,  leaving  to  Father  Demers  the 
ch.irge  of  cimtinning  ihe  mission  of  Vancouver, 
started  on  Thursday,  Jan.  3rd,  at  three  p.  m. 

The  Willamette  Fall, 

a  beautiful  fall  of  30  feet,  across  the  river, 
which  requires  a  portage  of  canoes  and  bag- 
gage for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  was  passed  early 
on  Friday  ;  and  on  Saturday  at  10  a.  m.  the 
campemtnt  de  Sable,  (Champoeg)  was  reached. 
The  four  miles  from  thence  to  the  log  church 
(for  there  was  a  church  already)  were  made 
on  horseback.  And  as  Mr.  Lucier  and  Mr. 
B^l^que  were  neighbors,  and  on  his  way,  the 
vicar  general  stopped  and  visited  their  fam- 
ilies, who  were  so  glad  to  be  the  first  to  see 
the  priest  and  see  him  in  his  true  ecclesiastical 
Robe  or  Soutane,  which  the  two  missionaries 
continued  to  wear  in  traveling,  at  home,  and 
iu  the  town  of  Oregon  City  untill  1849. 


Catholic  Cucrch  in  Orkook. 


29 


TliHt  log  church  was  built  in  188C,  ns  scon 
11-  liiey  had  any  hopes  of  having  priests.  It 
was  H  building  70  feet  by  80,  built  on  a  prairie 
uu  the  eastern  side  of  the  river,  on  the  road  to 
C  lianipoeg.  The  vicar  general  took  possesn- 
ion  of  a  part  of  the  churt^h,  at  the  back  of  the 
iillnr,  measuring  12  by  30,  which  being  after- 
wards divided  by  an  alley  of  6  feM,  gave  suf- 
ficient accommodation  for  two  bed  rooms  on 
one  side  and  a  kitchen  and  dining  room  on  the 
other.  Later  on,  in  order  to  make  room  for 
some  orphans,  the  alley  became  the  kitchen. 

The  aAernoob  of  that  day  was  s^ent  in  re- 
<'i-iving  visits,  as  r!I,  especially  the  women  and 
the  half-breed  children  were  very  an^cious  to 

e  the  priest  so  long  announced  and  expected. 

hat  day  was  indeed  n  day  of  joy  and  lender 
(motions  to  all. 

The  following  day,  January  6th,  being  Sun- 
day and  the  Kpiphany  of  our  Lord  the  church 
^vas  blessed  under  the  patronage  of  the  great 
apostle  St.  Paul,  after  which  was  celebrated 
tlie  first  Mass  ever  said  in  the  yalley,  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  Canadians,  their  wives  and 
children.  It  was  surely  a  great  day  for  them 
all;  for  t  lie  Canadians  who  had  uot  seen  a  priest 
nor  heard  a  Mass  for  iO,  20,  30,  and  some  for 
nearly  40  years  ;  and  for  their  wives  wIk>  were 
at  last  beholding  one  of  those  priests  their  hus- 
bands had  so  long  ago  spoken  to  them  about. 
Sweet  and  touching  indeed  were  the  sentiments 
these  Canadians  experienced  on  seeing  them- 
selves at  the  foot  of  aii  altar,  of  the  cross,  and 
before  the  face  of  a  priest.  These  p<H)r  people 
were  overjoyed,  and  the  women  were  amazed 
in  beholding  the  priest  at  the  altar  in  sacer- 
dotal vestments  and  prayer.  The  holy  Sac- 
ritice  of  the  immaculate  Lamb  of  God  was  of- 
liTfd  ;  the  pastoral  letter  of  the  bishop  who 
had  heard  their  voice  and  sent  them  priests  was 
rt-ad  ;  the  commaDdnieuts  of  God  and  of  the 
Ciiurch  were  published,  as  well  as  the  rules  to 
l)e  observed  during  the  mission;  and  all  term- 
inated with  reflections  and  advices  which  were 
very  touching  on  both  sides.  All  went  home 
liappy  and  willing  to  obey  the  Church,  even 
in  regard  to  separation  from  their  wives  until 
Hieir  unions  would  be  blessed.  And  so  great 
wito  their  desire  to  have  their  wives  and  chil- 
•h-en  instructed,  and  to  lose  nothing  of  the  in- 


structions given,  thi.t  they  brought  them  from 
home  to  live  in  tents  around  the  chiircii.  The 
men  wotild  not  do  less  ;  those  living  the  ueares^t 
came  every  day  to  hear  Mass  and  passed  the 
whole  day  at  the  church,  returning  home  in 
time  to  attend  to  their  business  and  prevent  the 
wasting  of  their  crops  by  their  hired  and  slave 
Indians.  Those  who  lived  farthest  away  re- 
mained several  days  before  returning  home, 
sleeping  in  the  large  hall  uot  yet  divided  by  an 
alley.  And  let  no  one  suppose  that  in  that 
season  the  people  had  to  suffer  from  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather;  uot  at  all ;  for  the 
weather  was  so  extraordinary  flue  and  mild, 
and  so  similar  to  the  mouth  of  May  in  Canada, 
as  to  make  the  good  Canadians  say :  "The  good 
God  has  pity  on  us ;  it  is  tor  us  that  He  has 
sent  this  flue  weather." 

The  exercises  commenced  every  day  by 
the  celebration  of  Mass  with  an  instruction, 
after  which  followed  the  recitation  of  prayers 
in  French,  the  explanation  of  the  Apostles' 
creed  and  the  most  important  truths  of  religion, 
intermixml  with  singing  of  bymi:s,  from  Mass 
till  12  a.  m.,  and  from  1  to  4  p.  m.  And  as 
the  women  did  not  all  understand  French,  and 
there  were  among  them  a  variety  of  tongues, 
some  being  of  the  Chinook,  others  of  the  Col- 
ville  aud  FUthead  tribes,  the  difliculty  was  o- 
vercome  by  using  different  interpreters  to  con- 
vey to  them  the  words  of  the  priest.  At  dusk 
took  place  the  evening  prayers,  the  reading  of 
pious  books  and  singing  of  French  hymns ; 
after  which  some  boys  were  taught  to  read  in 
French  and  serve  at  Mass.  There  was  at  that 
time  in  the  valley  a  young  man,  26  years  of 
age,  bom  in  Havre  de  Grace,  France,  called 
Peter  Stanislaus  Jacqnet.  He  left  the  sea 
which  he  entered  at  the  age  of  1 1.  That  young 
man  became  useful  by  knowing  how  to  rea«l 
and  teaching  the  prayers,  while  the  priest  was 
hearing  the  confessions  of  the  ^  ^n,  who  had 
to  come  more  than  once,  aud  thost,  "  the  little 
boys  and  girls,  to  aceostom  them  to  the  Holy 
practice.  The  meu  had  also  to  be  examined 
and  re-afiirmed  in  their  prayers,  but  they  gen- 
erally were  found  to  have  retained  them  in  a 
surprising  manner. 

The  instructions  and  teaching  of  prayers 
lasted  three  weeks.     The  fruits  of  the  mission 


30 


Historical  Sketches  of  tiik 


I 


were  coiisolinjr;  lor  niRuy  of  tlieludiHU  woinou 
and  a  number  of  jjrown  np  boys  and  girU,  and 
younjf  cliildren  Imd  learned  to  make  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  the  offering  of  the  heart  to  Gwl, 
the  Lord's  prayer,  the  Hail  Mary,  the  Apostlep' 
Creed  and  some  of  the  Acts  ;  25  Indian  women 
were  baptised  in  excellent  dispo^itionb,  and 
their  nnions  with  their  husbands  blessed  by 
the  Church;  47  other  baptioms  of  children  were 
made,  to  which,  if  we  add  those  two  of  an  old 
Indian  man  and  of  a  young  Indian  girl,  Iwth 
sick,  who  soon  died,  and  were  the  first  to  be 
buried  in  the  new  cemetery,  we  will  have  74 
baptisms  and  26  marriages ;  the  26th  couple, 
being  a  Canadian,  married  in  the  valley  by 
Rev.  D.  Leslie,  without  the  certificate  of  the 
death  of  his  wife  he  had  loft  in  Canada,  the 
vicar  general  could  not  bless  their  union,  but 
ordered  and  obtained  a  separation,  until  such 
time  as  her  death  would  be  ascertained. 

Besides  the  altar  fixed  in  due  time,  the  vi- 
car general  had  a  commuuiou  rail  made  to 
separate  the  sanctuary  from  the  nave  ;  a  cross 
fixed  on  the  gable  of  the  church  ;  an  acre  of 
ground  chosen,  fenced  and  blessed  for  a  grave- 
yard, with  a  high  cross  in  the  centre ;  small 
wooden    c-    ^^es    were  also  blessed  for  each 
house.     T      six  first  verses  of  hymns  which 
had  been  learned,  and  were  daily  sung  at  Mass 
with  some  taste  and  delight  by  the  men,  women 
and  children,  were  earnestly  recommended  to 
be  sung  at  home.     The  two  missionaries  saw 
wiih  greiit  pleasure  their  advice  put  in  practice, 
la  fine,  taking  the  fourth  and  last  week  of  his 
mii^siou  to  rest  a  little,  the  vicar  getienl  went 
and  took  possession  of  a  tract  of  ground  of  640 
acres  for  the  mission,  and  weat  arouud  the 
whole  establishnieut  to  visit  the  settlers,  who 
received  him  with  the  greatest  demonstrations 
of  joy  and  thanks  to  <iod  for  the  consolations 
of  religion  they  had  received.     Their  joy,  nev- 
ertheless, was  greatly  lessened  in  not  baiu"  al- 
lowed to  keep  among  themselves,  at  least,  one 
of  those  tliey  had  called  for.     But  they  ex- 
pected liiHt  this  would  not  last  loug,  and  that 
their  gi>od  father,  Ur.  McLaughlin,  would  ob- 
tain a  change.     Having  given  them  five  Sun- 
days, the  vicar  general  started  on   Monday, 
Feb.  5th  Hud  reached  Vancouver  on  Tuesday, 
where  he  remained  at  work  till  March  14th. 


The  Tkue  Name  or  oub  Uiveb. 

It  is  fit  to  explain  he;  y  the  name  of 

our  river  is  ca''ed    Wallamette,  rather  than 
Wa/lumet  or  Wiilamette,  as  many  call  it  now. 
The  reason  is  obvious :  it  is  because   Walla- 
mtlte  is  the  true  Indian  name,  whereas  Wal- 
himet  and  TFt7/««je«e  are  but  corrupted  and 
fabricated  ones  of  modem  date.     Proofs  are 
not  wanting  to  show  that  from  1812  to  1842, 
the  principal  persons  in  the  country,  either 
American  of  Astor  and  Hunt's  expedition,  or 
British,  or  Scotchmen,  or  French  Canadians  of 
the  North  West  and  Hudson  Bay  Companies, 
always  spelled  the  name  with  an  "a"  in  the 
firnt  syllable,  and  a  "tte"  in  the  last  one,  thus: 
Wallaviette.     The  syllable  "mette"  not  to  be 
pronounced  "u.et "  as  in  the  French  word  boii- 
qntt;  but  as"mette"in  the  word  j<u«/<e.    It  was 
tlius  spelled  by  the  gentlemen  of  the  H.  B.  Co., 
Dr.  John  McLaughlin,  James  Douglas  and 
Peter  Ogden,  when  the  Methodist,  Presbyter- 
ian ministers.  Catholic  missionaries  and  aiany 
other  American  citizens  arrived  here  in  1884, 
'..6,  '88  and  '-iO.     Hence  the  numero-    dis- 
ciples, who  adopting  the  name  of  our  river  as 
spelled  by  tlicui,  made  a  faithful  use  of  it  be- 
fore 1840,  and  long  after  1842,  and  even  as 
far  down  as  1848 ;  and  one  even  to  1859,  be- 
cause convinced  of  its  being  the  genuine  name; 
and  all  that,  notwithstanding  the  strong  pre- 
vailing use  of  the  spurious  one  of  Willamette. 
Witness  the  following  instances  : — 

Rev.  Jason  Lee,  who  arrived  in  the  country 
in  1834,  signs,  in  1844,  with  Dr.  McLaughlin 
and  others,  a  document  in  which  the  word  is 
spelled  Wallamette.  David  Leslie,  W.  H. 
Wilson  and  George  Gay,  who  came  here  in 
1837,  Sidney  Smith  in  1889,  and  A.  F.  Wall- 
er and  L.  H.  Judson  in  1840,  say  they  are 
living  in  the  valley  called  Wallamette.  Young 
and  Carmiohael,  addressing  the  Oregon  tem- 
perance society,  date  their  letter  from  Wall- 
amette, Jan.  3,  1887.  Rev.  G.  Hines  who 
came  her*-  'n  1840,  in  his  history  of  Oregon, 
in  1859,  ou  .ill  occasions  calls  onr  river  by  the 
name  of  Wallamette.  Dr.  E.  White,  who  ar- 
rived here  iu  1836,  when  writing  as  sub-agent 
of  Indian  .iffairs  tr  'he  secretary  of  war  in 
1648,  always  date    its  letters  from  the  Wall- 


Catholic  Chckcu  in  Okkoon. 


31 


iinictte  vKlley.  Jusinh  L.  Parrish  an<l  A.  F. 
\V^Hller,  who  Hrrived  here  iu  1840,  hs  Mev.i- 
oiliitt  mioidlers,  affirm  that  the  name  is  an 
IiiiUhii  one,  to  be  spel  ed  with  an  "a"  in  the 
tir^t  xyilable. 

Tlie  Catholic  misaiouaries  on  their  arrival 
lit  Vancouver  in  1S38,  reucivtMl  also  the  name 
with  it8  orlho<rraphy  from  the  same  gentlemen, 
Hiui  always  used  it  in  their  correspondences 
at  home  and  abroad,  from  1839  to  1848,  dat- 
iu^  their  letters  frr>m,  or  addressiuji  them  to 
or  "St.  Paul  of  Wallamette."     So  did  the  Sisters 

of  Notre  Dame,  Belgium,  from  1844  to  1858. 
The  gentlemen  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Co.  did 
likewise  iu  all  their  transactions  and  writings; 
thus,  their  bills  of  supplies  to  the  Catholic  mis- 
sion, i'rom  1839  to  1847  were  always  headed  : 
"Catholic  Mi^<8ion  of  Wallamette,  or  Walla- 
mette falls."  Rev.  Mr.  Beaver,  who  was  chap- 
lain at  Vancouver,  from  1836  to  1838,  haviu^ 
returned  to  England,  in  a  certain  deposition 
made  in  London  in  1849,  calls  our  river  by 
the  name  he  had  learned  during  his  stay  at 
Vancouver,  Wallamette. 


SSSVOH  XZZ. 

(published  MAT  2nd  1878.) 
First  Mission  to  Cowlitz  in  1839. 

ynHE  first  r  -isiou  to  Cowlitz  was  lieguu  by 
%  the  vicar  general  on  March  17ih.  1839, 
iiiid  continued  until  the  Ist  of  May  following. 
Arriving  at  the  settlement  on  the  evening  of 
March  16tii,  the  vicar  general  was  accotniuo- 
(lilted  by  Mr.  Simon  Plamondon  with  a  room 
I'lr  liis  own  use,  and  also  an  appartment  18  by 
2')  feet  to  be  used  as  a  chapel.  Besides  the 
four  farmers  ami  their  families  forming  the  col- 
ony, there  was  n  large  number  of  servants  em- 
ployed on  the  farms  of  the  II.  B.  Co.,  some  of 
I  hem  having  wives.  The  mission  commenced 
'>ii  radsiuu  Sunday  with  the  holy  sacrifice  of 
the  Mass,  the  publication  of  the  law  of  God 
.111(1  tiie  precepts  of  the  Church — on  which  an 
iiHtniciion  was  given.  Mash  was  celebrated 
every  day  at  6  a.  m.,  during  which  an  iustruct- 
I  i:i  was  given.     The  rest  of  the  day  was  de- 


voted to  teaching  the  calechiiini  and  hymns  t<> 
the  women  and  children  in  French.  In  the 
evening  all  assembled  in  the  chapel  where  eve- 
ning prayers,  an  instruction,  and  singing  of 
hymns  preceded  the  hearing  of  confessions, 
which  continued  long  into  the  night.  The  In- 
dians were  iustrucled  at  stated  intervals  every 
day.  The  ceremony  of  holy  week  made  a  deep 
impression  on  all  who  attended,  and  the  miss- 
ion was  fruitful  in  irood  results. 

The  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  missionary 
at  Cowlitz  caused  numerous  delegations  of  In- 
dians to  come  from  remote  distances  in  order 
to  hear  and  see  the  blackgown.  Among  these 
delegations  was  one  led  by  chief  Tala-lakum, 
whose  tribe  inhabited  Whidby  Island,  Puget 
Sound,  150  miles  from  the  Cowlitz  mission. 
After  a  journey  of  two  days  in  canoes  to  Fort 
Nisqually,  and  an  arduous  march  of  three  days 
on  foot,  across  streams  and  rivers,  and  by  an 
exceedingly  rough  trail,  they  reached  Cowlitz 
with  bleeding  feet,  famished  and  broken  down. 
Their  object  was  to  see  the  blackgown  and 
hear  him  speak  of  the  Great  Spirit.  As  soon 
as  they  were  refreshed  the  missionary  began 
to  speak  to  them  of  God,  of  the  Incarnation 
and  Redemption.  But  the  great  difficulty  was 
to  give  tliem  an  idea  of  religion  so  plain  and 
simple  as  to  command  their  attention,  and 
which  they  could  retain  in  their  minds  and  car- 
ry back  with  them  to  their  tribe.  In  looking 
for  a  plan  the  vicar  general  imagined  that  by 
reprefieiiting  on  a  square  stick,  the  forty  cent- 
uries before  Christ  by  40  marks ;  the  thirty- 
three  years  of  our  Lord  by  83  points,  followed 
by  a  cross ;  and  the  eighteen  centuries  and 
thirty-nine  years  since,  by  18  marks  and  39 
points,  would  pretty  well  answer  his  purpose, 
in  giving  him  a  chance  to  show  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  the  creation,  the  fall  of  angels, 
of  Adam;  the  promise  of  a  Savior,  the  time  of 
His  birth, and  His  death  upon  the  cross,  as  well 
as  the  mission  of  the  apostles.  The  plan  was 
a  great  success.  After  eight  days  explanation, 
the  chief  and  hie  companions  became  masters 
of  the  subje^l ;  and,  having  learned  to  make 
the  sign  uf  the  cross  and  to  sing  one  or  two 
hymns  in  the  Chinook  jargon,  they  started  for 
home  well  satisfied,  with  a  square  rule  thus 
marked,  which  they  called  Sahale  stick,  (Stick 


32 


Historical  Skbtciiks  or  tiik 


from  Hbove.)  Thnt  pUn  was  afterwnnis  clinn^- 
t>(]  from  H  rule  to  n  large  chart  coutaiuin^  the 
great  epochs  of  the  world,  such  as  the  Deluge, 
the  Tower  of  Babel,  the  leu  coininaudmenis  of 
God,  the  twelve  apostles,  the  seven  sacraments 
and  precepts  of  the  Church  ;  these  'icmg  very 
useful  to  enable  the  missionary  to  teach  the 
Indians  and  whites.  It  was  called  "The  Cath- 
olic Ladder." 

The  fruits  of  this  long  mission  were  very 
consolin-;.  The  womeu,  grown  up  boys  and 
girls  had  learned  their  prayers  in  part,  and 
some  of  the  catechism  ;  and  the  younger  chil- 
dren, some  part  of  their  prayers.  The  first 
verse  of  several  hymns,  in  French  and  ('hinook, 
had  been  learned  and  were  sung  alternately  by 
the  two  choirs  of  men,  women  and  children, 
after  the  chant  of  the  other  verses  by  a  solo. 
By  that  means  the  offices  on  Sunday,  at  Mass 
and  Vespers,  were  rendered  pretty  solemn  and 
attractive.  Tlie  number  of  baptisms  were  27, 
of  which  20  were  Indian  children,  and  7  were 
adult  women  ;  thus  in  adding  the  7  made  on 
December  last,  wo  have  84  baptisms  made  iu 
Cowlitz,  7  marriages  blessed,  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  Kaster  communions. 

The  winter  season  of  iri33-?'  Iiad  bocu  oo 
exceptionally  beautiful  as  to  allow  the  farmers 
to  plow  and  sow  without  interruption.  On 
the  5th  day  of  April  the  prairies  were  bloom- 
ing with  wild  flowers  and  strawberries.  On 
the  7th  the  grass  was  six  inches  hij:h.  Au- 
gustine Rochon,  the  servant  of  the  mission, 
brought  from  Canada,  had  iu  no  way  remained 
idle  ;  lie  had  made  6,000  fence  mils,  squared 
the  timbers  for  a  house  and  barn,  which  were 
to  be  hauled  on  the  mission  land  as  soon  as  he 
could  <>ct  a  yoke  of  oxen.  The  settlers  of  Cow- 
litz and  their  families  were  extremely  pleased 
to  have  the  visit  of  Rev.  M.  Deuiers  during 
the  mission  of  the  vicar  general  there.  This 
visit  was  due  to  the  following  circumstances: 

First  Mission  at  Fort  Nisquallt. 

About  the  8tU  of  April  1839,  Rev.  D.  Leslie, 
a  Methodii't  minister, arrived  at  Cowlitz  on  his 
way  to  Nisqually,  where  he  intended  ti»  estab- 
lish a  mission  among  the  Indians.  This  iu- 
fnrination  at  once  prompted  the  vicar  general 
to  despatch  an  Indian  express  to  Fr.  Uemers 


at  Vancouver,  asking  him  to  proceed  ut  one 
to  Nisqually  in  order  to  plant  the  true  seed  in 
the  hearts  of  the  Indians  there.  Fr.  Demer^ 
lef^  immediately  and  reached  his  destination 
in  six  days,  during  which  he  was  drenched 
with  a  cold  and  continuous  rain.  He  arrived 
on  April  21st,  and  was  welcomed  with  great 
politeness  by  Mr.  Kitson,  the  commander  of 
the  fort ;  a  house  was  appropriated  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  chapel,  and  he  at  once  entered  upon 
the  object  of  his  arduous  journey.  The  In- 
dians flocked  from  all  sides  to  see  the  great 
chief  of  the  French  and  receive  his  instruct- 
ions. An  unforeseen  incident,  however,  came 
near  preventing  the  mission  begun  under  such 
favorable  auspices.  The  rammandant  was  un- 
willing to  allow  a  vast  cr«»wd  of  Indians  to  en- 
ter the  fort,  and  ordered  them  to  stay  outside 
of  the  palisades.  One  of  the  Indians,  bidder 
than  the  rext,  dared  to  force  an  entry  and  was 
pushed  back  rather  roughly  by  Mr.  Kitson, 
hence  the  beginniugof  a  riot,  which  might  have 
become  fatal,  if  the  appearance  of  the  mission- 
ary had  not  appeased  that  untamed  multitude. 
Who  shall  not  here  admire  the  holy  influence 
of  religion  in  the  person  of  an  humble  priest 
over  an  enraged  multitude  of  Indians,  on  his 
simple  appearance  among  tbeni?  Such  is  the 
iufluence  of  religion  ! 

Father  Dcmers  was  then  obliged  to  go  out  of 
the  fort  to  teach  the  Indians,  who,  during  the 
whole  time  of  the  mission,  gave  him  evidence 
of  their  most  perfect  docility  to  his  advice. 
The  first  Mass  was  celebrated  April  22tid,  iu 
the  presence  of  the  commander  and  other  per- 
sons of  the  fort.  Among  the  .ufong  there  were 
counted  Indians  of  22  different  nations.  All 
the  days  of  the  man  of  God  were  devoted  to  his 
dear  neophytes.  To  celebrate  the  divine  ofl- 
ices,  teach  the  Christian  prayers,  administer 
baptism  to  children,  explain  to  the  Indians  the 
dogmatic  and  moral  truths  of  religion,  to  hear 
the  confessions  of  the  Canadians;  such  were 
the  occupations  which  absorbed  the  days  and 
part  of  the  nights  of  the  priest  during  the  ten 
days  the  mission  lasted. 

Monday,  the  29lh  of  April,  was  to  the  serv- 
ant of  God  a  day  well  calculated  to  indemnify 
him  plentifully  for  his  long  and  painful  jour- 
neys and  missionary  labors  ;  for  on  that  day, 


Catholic  Chukch  in  Okkqun. 


88 


Mr,«.  Ivilson  the  wife  of  the  cuniiUHiiiier,  iilter 
liiuiii^  fdlloweil  the  instriiciioiis  with  iniu-h  Ht- 
ti'iiii(>ti,Hiul  prHrticed  with  fervor  the  exurciHtt« 
nr|)it'ty  prescribed  to  her,  hail  the  happinewto 
(>|kmi  liL-r  eycH  to  the  lixht,  and  receive  the  gift 
III  laith  Huii  the  grace  of  baptism.  The  foU 
l'ivviti<,'  day,  the  3Uth,  btiug  the  day  fixed  for 
Ills  di>ptirture,  wag  a  day  of  nioiiruiiig  for  the 
jxior  ItxliauB  of  Nisquady.  Men  and  wonieu 
flocked  around  him  to  entreat  him  to  remain 
>iin()n<;  them  and  to  sliow  him  the  deep  sorrow 
\\liich  his  too  untimely  parting  caused  iheuj. 

riicy  went  go  fur  as  to  promise  him  perfect  do- 
'  ili:y  to  his  advice,  and  that,  if  poligamy  was 
Mil  evil  in  the  eyes  of  the  Great  Spirit,  they 
vvtiidd  forthwith  conform  themselves  to  his  will. 
Deeply  touched  by  these  admirable  effects  of 
ilie  ^ract!  of  God,  Father  Demers  encouraged 
ilmm  to  perseverance,  and  consoled  them  the 
li>'s(  he  could  for  having  to  leave  them,  giving 
thorn  to  iiuderstand  that  he  parted  wit!)  them 
to  obey  God  who  was  calling  him  elsewhere, 
whore  sheep  were  to  be  brought  to  the  fold  ; 
Mild  that  he  would  poon  return  to  them  and  pre- 
piire  tlieni  for  baptism.  After  having  given 
iirdor^^  10  build  a  chapel,  and  said  Mass  out- 
side of  the  fort,  he  parted  with  them,  April 
'i<»ih,  hlossing  I  lie  Lord  for  the  success  of  his 
iiiiftsioti  among  tiie  whites  and  Indians,  and 
nwched  ('owlitz  on  Wednesday,  May  Ist.  with 
tlic  conviction  that  his  mission  at  Nisqually 
had  left  a  very  feeble  chance  for  a  Methodist 
niissinn  there.  Bro.  Wilson,  whom  minister 
Leslia  had  lefl  orders  with  to  build  a  house,  on 
M  certain  piece  of  land,  must  have  been  des- 
|ioi)dent  at  being  witness  to  all  he  had  seen. 

The  fruits  of  this  unexpected  mission  were 
\\  liftptJHms,  '2  of  which  were  adult  women, 
I  lie  rest  being  children,  and  2  marriages.  This 
niisiiion  was  made  so  short  because  Father  De- 
mers was  bound  to  be  at  Vancouver  to  meet 
liierc  tlio  brigades  of  North  and  South,  and 
l>re|i!ire  himself  for  his  mission  to  the  upper 
(  i)iimibia.  The  vicar  general  having  com- 
I  ii'iei!  his  uii:^siou  at  Cuwiilz  aud  given  bis 

iders  for  the  building  of  the  priest's  house, 
ir.|)aio(l  to  start  for  Vancouver. 


8S:3SXOS  xxxx. 


(PUBUSHRD  MAY  9tH    1878.) 

Sbcomd  Mission  imthe  Willamettk  Vallky. 

THK  two  missionaries  left  Cowlitz,  Thurs- 
day, May  2nd,  1839,  for  Fort  Vancouver, 
Father  Demers  desiring  to  visit  the  Catholic 
settlement  at  St.  P-nil's,  which  latter  place  the 
two  missionaries  reached  in  safety  by  means  of 
a  canoe  profielled  by  the  stal%vart  arms  of  four 
Indians.  Father  Demers  at  once  started  on 
horseback  to  visit  all  the  .settlers,  but  was 
obliged  to  relinquish  his  journey  aud  return  a- 
gain  to  Vancouver,  in  consequence  of  a  violent 
cold  which  he  canght  on  \m  former  journey  to 
Nisqually.  Whilst  there  he  had  the  pleasure 
of  receiving  two  large  cases  filled  with  goods 
intended  for  the  mission,  which  had  been  for- 
warded from  Cauada,  and  which  were  greatly 
needed.  Among  the  gifts  was  a  beautiful  folio 
edition  of  the  Bible,  presented  by  Rev.  Anthony 
Parent,  of  the  Quebec  Seminary,  aud  which 
was  greatly  admired  by  all  who  saw  it. 

On  arriving  at  St.  Paul  the  vicar  general 
learned  with  much  surprise  that  his  first  mis- 
sion at  Si.  Paul  had  caused  quite  a  commotion 
among  the  Methotlist  preachers,  who  had  a 
missionary  station  about  12  miles  south  of  the 
Catholic  settlement.  The  cause  of  this  excite- 
ment arose  from  the  fact  that  the  vicar  general 
had  re-baptized  and  re-married  a  number  of 
persons  who  were  officiated  over  by  the  Meth- 
odist ministers  ;  a  number  of  Catholics  with- 
drew also  from  the  temperance  society  and 
prayer  meetings  of  the  Methodist  brethren. 
These  acts  aroused  all  the  ire  of  the  ministers 
who  deeming  themselves  and  their  office  ig- 
nored, determined  to  be  revenged;  btit  before 
doing  so  they  endeavored  to  make  proselytes 
among  the  Catholics  through  means  of  Itev. 
Daniel  Lee's  preaching  and  praying  in  some  of 
their  houses.  Rev.  David  Leslie  next  got  up  a 
revival,  but  it  was  barren  lu  any  fruits.  As  a 
demit  resort  a  complaint  was  made  to  gov- 
ernor Douglas  relative  to  the  influence  which 
the  C»th3lic  missionaries  were 'usingin  order  to 
keep  the  lambs  of  the  flock  out  of  the  clutches 
of  the  Wesleyan  wolves.     The  governor,  how- 


S4 


Historical  Sketches  ok  the 


over  told  liis  iiiforniHnt  very  curtly  that  "it  was 
uone  of  his  biisitiess."  Thus,  finding  them- 
selves foiled  at  every  point,  the  preachers  had 
recourse  to  their  usual  weapon  of  slander  and 
falsehood.  A  copy  of  an  infamous  publica- 
tion entitled  Maria  Monk,  was  circidated  a- 
mong  the  community  ;  this  work  pretended  to 
give  "awful  disclosures"  concerning  confess- 
ion and  convent  life,  and  was  filled  with  stale 
slanders  and  exploded  inventions.  The  circu- 
lation of  this  obcene  book  caused  considerable 
feeling  among  the  Catholics,  and  the  vicar  gen- 
eral found  on  his  return  an  excited  community 
where  all  was  peace  at  his  former  visit. 

The  vicar  general's  attention  was  at  once 
directed  towards  allaying  the  excitement  by  a 
simple  explanation  of  the  vicious  causes  which 
led  the  Methodist  ministers  to  cast  such  a  fire- 
brand among  a  peaceable  and  happy  commu- 
nity.    He  proved  the  work  to  be  a  tissue  of 
falsehoods  and  calumnies  which  had  been  re- 
futed over  the  signatures  of  some  of  the  most 
respectable  Protestants  of  Montreal  where  the 
scene  of  its  shameless  relations  was  laid.    The 
Canadian  settlers  naturally  became  indignant 
at  the  vile  artifice,  hypocrisy  and  ingratitude 
of  the  Methodist  ministers  whose  lives  they  had 
been  the  means  of  siiviug  but  a  short  month 
before.     It  appears  that  an  Indian  had  stolen 
some  wheat,  and  being  discovered  he  was  se- 
verely beaten  at  the  Methodist  mission  ;  his 
tribe  threatened  to  massacre  the  people  at  the 
missioii.  which  so  alarmed  Rev.  David  Leslie 
that  he  hastened  at  once  to  the  Canadians  beg- 
ging them  to  use  their  influence  with  the  In- 
dians to  save  them,  which  the  Canadians  did 
most  effectually.     Finally,  the  Methodists  dis- 
covering that  their  efforts  to  malign  their  Cath- 
olic neighbors  were  recoiling  upon  their  owu 
heads,  they  quietly  withdrew  the  vile  book 
wiiieh  had  caused  so  much  trouble  aud  learned 
afterwards  to  live  in  amity  with  their  neighbors. 
The  second  mission  given  at  St.  Paid's,  by 
the  vicur  general  lasted  thirty  days,  and  was 
attended  with  great  zeal  by  the  surrounding 
settlers,  their  wives  and  children.     The  Cath^ 
oUc  Liidder  was  found  very  useful  in  impart- 
ing instruction,  as  many  of  the  neophytes  did 
not  understand  French  sufficiently  to  be  in- 
struc  ed  in  that  language.    It  was  also  exposed 


in  the  church  on  Sundays  and  fully  explained 
to  the  congregation  who  listened  with  the  most 
respectful  attention. 

During  the  mission  the  vicar  general  lia<i 
the  consolation  of  receiving  into  th-  k  l-i  of 
Christ  Mr.  Montour,  a  former  cl  rl;  of  th.- 
Hudson  Bay  Co.,  together  with  hi  wi'^e  aud 
children.  This  gentleman  proved  i  nur-i  zeal- 
ous convert,  assisting  with  Hie  gre*  ?  ■."?  'evo- 
tion  at  all  the  offices  of  the  church  on  Sundays 
and  week  days.  On  the  Sunday  within  the 
octave  of  Corpus  Christ!  all  the  congregation 
united  in  a  grand  procession  in  honor  of  the 
Blessed  Sacrament ;  repositories  were  erected, 
and  an  avenue  of  trees  planted  through  which 
the  Isrge  multitude  passed  in  regular  order. 
Thus,  this  mission  produced  great  spiritual  re- 
sults, and  the  vicar  general  left  for  Vancouver 
on  theTthof  June,  well  pleased  with  theearnest 
piety  of  St.  Paul's  congragatiou. 


(published  mat  I6th  1878.) 

Bbigade  of  the  Nobth.     Mission  of 

Fatbeb  Demers  to  Fort  Colville  in  1889. 

THE  Hudsoji  Bay  Co's  brigade  of  the  Noit'i 
which  was  syled  "rfc«  porteura"  in  conse- 
quence of  the  men  being  obliged  to  pack  the 
baggage  on  their  backs  for  want  of  horses,  ar- 
rived at  Vancouver  June  6th,  1839, and  staried 
June  22ud  on  its  return.  It  consisted  of  a  flo- 
tilla of  nine  barges  manned  by  fifty-seven  men 
under  the  command  of  chief  factors  Ogderiand^ 
Black.  A  passage  was  offered  to  one  of  the 
missionaries  with  this  brigade  as  far  as  Walla 
Walla,  and  as  the  Indians  at  Fort  Colville  had 
been  told  by  the  missionaries  that  one  of  them 
would  return  again  for  the  purpose  of  instruct- 
ing them  in  the  faith.  Father  Demers  was  se- 
lected for  that  duty,  leaving  to  the  vicar  gen- 
eral the  vast  missionary  field  alrea«ly  open 
along  the  waters  of  the  Columbia,  the  Will- 
amette, and  Puget  Sound. 

Ar-iving  at  Walla  Walla  Father  Demers 
procured  a  guide  expecting  to  make  the  trip  to 
Colville  in  six  days ;  in  this,  however,  he  was 


itsFomimmB' 


wtnm 


Catholic  Church  in  Oregon. 


lioDiited  to  disappointment  as  his  guide  proved 
iroaclierous  and  left  liim  aloue  before  half  the 

()iirney  was  accoiuplished,  which  necessitated 
him  to  send  back  for  another  •riiide,  and  thus 
lourteeii  days  were  consumed  ou  tlie  journey. 

\*'ter  litis  delay  and  having  surmounted  many 
.ficulties,FatherDemers  arrived  at  FortCol- 
.  ille,  wiiere  he  entered  at  once  on  a  mission 
which  lasted  for.  83  days  and  resulted  very 
beneficially  to  the  employees  of  the  H.  B.  Co., 
:is  well  as  to  the  numerous  Indians  gathered 
arnund  the  fort.  On  his  return  trip  he  also 
L'iive  an  8  day  mission  at  Okanagan  and  spent 
two  weeks  at  Walla  Walla,  to  the  great  joy  of 
ilie  assembled  Indians  and  the  few  whites  em- 
ployed around  the  fort. 

The  Brioadb  okthb  Sooth. 

The  brigade  was  composed  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  servants,  trappers  of  the  H.  B.  (/O.,  re- 
turning from  California  with  horses  ladeu  with 
furs.  It  arrived  at  VancouTer,  June  I5th,  and 
v\  as  to  return  in  3  weeks,  with  horses  packed 
with  provisions  and  goods  for  the  trade  of  the 
tollowing  year.  Several  of  the  servants  had 
wives  and  children  to  be  baptised,  instructed 
and  married.  The  task  became  onerous  on 
the  vicar  general,  as  this  was  in  addition  to 
the  ordinary  duty  of  teaching  the  ladies  and 
children  of  the  fort  and  otliern.  He  undertook 
it  heartily,  saying  Mass  early  and  dividing  hi* 
time  between  them  all.  There  were  made  44 
baptism",  of  which  13  were  adults,  and  the 
.-^ame  number  of  marriages,  amongst  which 
were  those  of  Mr.  Michael  La  framboise,  the 
conductor  of  the  brigade,  and  Mr.  Joseph  Mc- 
Loughlin,  son  of  Dr.  McLoughlin.  The  brig- 
ade left  July  13th,  having  to  camp  between  50 
and  60  times,  making  4  leagues  a  day,  before 
reaching  (heir  trapping  places.  In  Southern 
Oregon  it  had  to  pass  through  a  very  warlike, 
wicked  and  treacherous  race  of  Indians,  wait- 
iag  in  ambuscade  for  the  purpose  of  robbing 
itud  killiug  animals  and  men,  on  all  occasions. 
lieaee  the  name  of  La  Voqinns  (the  Rogues) 
.'iven  to  them,  and  La  Biviire  aux  Coquiru 
(the  Rogue  river)  given  to  the  country  by  the 
'iicu  of  tlie  brigade. 


Second  Mission  to  Cowlitz. 

After  attending  to  the  spirit ual  wants  of  l lie 
brigade  of  the  North  and  South,  the  place  to  lie 
visited  next  was  the  Cowlitz  settlement  The 
vicar  general  reached  that  place  on  July  20  ; 
and  as  he  had  learned  that  a  building  had  been 
erected  on  the  mission  land,  he  directed  his 
steps  there,  and  took  possession  of  a  little  30 
by  20  log  house  in  which  he  celebrated  Mass 
the  following  day.  It  was  roofed,  and  had  an 
addition  for  a  kitchen  at  one  end,  but  was 
without  floor,  doors  or  windows.  It  took  some 
time  before  this  could  be  done,  or  the  joints  of 
the  logs  could  be  filled  with  mud,  as  the  farmers 
were  busy  at  their  harvest.  He  found  there 
also  a  barn  60  by  30  raised,  roofed  and  ceiled, 
ready  to  receive  the  crop  of  6  bushels  of  wheat 
a»»d  9  bushels  of  peas,  sown  last  spring.  A. 
Rochon,  the  mission's  servant  had  fenced  in  24 
acres  of  land  and  ploughed  15  others,  to  be 
sown  next  fall ;  so  that  the  missionary  of  that 
place  was  assured  of  his  daily  bread. 

The  log  house  was  nsed  as  a  chapel,  under 
the  patronage  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  and  a 
lodging  for  the  priest  till  1842.  The  priest, 
having  his  modest  bed  on  the  Gospel  side  of 
the  sanctuary,  was  more  fortunate  than  the 
young  Samuel,  who  had  his  own  in  the  vest- 
ibule, away  from  the  sanctuary.  The  daily 
teaching  of  the  women  and  children  began  as 
soon  as  the  har\'e8t  was  over.  The  Catholic 
Ladder  was  used  here,  for  the  first  time,  with 
great  profit  to  all,  on  the  week-days  and  ou  Sun- 
days. A.  Rochon,  the  mission's  servant,  had 
nm  a  great  danger,  some  time  after  the  de- 
parture of  the  vicar  general,  in  the  beginning 
of  May.  He  had  bought  a  horse  from  an  In- 
dian and  paid  the  price  agreed  upon  ;  the  In- 
dian, displeased  with  bis  bargain, came  back  to 
have  the  horse  again,  which  Rochon  refused; 
hence  *  strife,  in  which  he  was  stabbed  by  the 
Indian.  Fortunately,  there  was  present  a  half- 
breed  who,  seising  the  stick  which  Rochon  had 
thrown  to  the  ground  in  order  to  have  free  use 
of  his  hands,  soon  made  the  Indian  run  away. 
This  mission  lasled  40  days. 


36 


Historical  Sketches  of  the 


8S:SS0H  XT. 

(published  may  23bd  1878.) 
Secomd  Mission  to  Nisqcally. 

THE  first  mission  to  Nisqnally  was  made  by 
Father  Darners,  who  celebrated  the  first 
Mass  in  the  fort  on  April  22,  the  day  after  he 
arrived.  His  visit  at  such  a  time  was  forced 
upon  him  by  the  establishment  of  a  Methotlist 
mission  there  for  the  Indians.  His  mission 
was  a  success ;  and,  it  now  beinj?  the  time  to 
go  and  consolidate  the  good  already  done  there, 
the  vicar  general  left  Cowlitz,  reached  Fort 
Nisqually  on  August  30,  1839,  and  began  his 
mission  cf  12  days.  The  fort  conkained  five 
families,  including  that  of  Mr.  Kitson,  the  com- 
mander and  his  servants,  numbering  in  all  36 
souls.  The  meu  attended  Mass  at  5  a.  m.,  and 
had  other  exercises  iu  the  evening  ;  iheir  com- 
mander giving  them  the  example  though  not 
a  Catholic. 

The  forenoon  was  devoted  to  the  women  and 
childreii  if  the  fort,  teaching  them  their  pray- 
ers and  explaining  the  catechism  with  the  aid 
of  the  Catholic  Ladder.  Some  of  the  women 
being  able  to  speak  only  Nisqually,  Chinook 
jargon,  and  Flathead,  Mr.  Kitnon,  who  under- 
Htood  those  languages,  besides  French  and  En- 
glish, WHS  very  useful  as  an  interpreter.  Some 
of  the  women  on  the  outside  were  allowed  to 
assist  at  the  exercises,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
mission  the  women  and  children  were  able  to 
answer  many  questions  on  God,  the  Holy  'I'rin- 
itv,  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption  ;  all  had 
leii'riied  to  sing  the  first  verses  of  five  French 
hvmns,  and  two  in  Chinook. 

"  The  nfiernoon  was  devoted  to  the  teaching 
of  the  Indians,  who  were  few  iu  the  beginning, 
but  continued  to  arrive  in  canoes  every  day, 
until  tl.ey  numlicred  at  least  300.  Twice  was 
tlie  vicar  general  obliged  to  all>w  a  number  of 
men  and  women  to  come  and  have  the  sati*- 
factiou  "f  shaking  luiuds,  the  mothers  brought 
their  children  on  ilieir  backs  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. Aiuoug  oilii'r  chiefs  was  Titlalakum,  one 
of  the  12  who  iniveied  from  Whidby  Island  to 
Cowlila,  in  April  last,  in  order  to  see  the  Black- 
gown,     lustrudions  out  of  the  fort  were  given, 


first  in  a  large  lent  and  afterw  irds  in  the  open 
air,  tmder  the  shade  of  a  tree.  All  were  look- 
ing at  a  large  Catholic  Ladder,  hung  up  on  a 
pole,  the  points  being  shown  with  a  long  stick. 
A  mong  the  remarks  made  by  some  of  the  chiefs 
was  that  of  Tslalakum  :  "That  man  V  h  had 
more  children  I'lan  the  first  man  Ac'im..!.  '  It 
was  a  beautiful  sight  in  the  evening  to  look 
from  the  inside  gallery  of  the  fort  on  the  In- 
dian camp  with  its  numerous  bright  fires,  and 
to  listen  to  the  harangues  of  the  chiefs  on  the 
subject  which  had  been  explained  to  them,  and 
the  duty  of  Iheir  listening  to  the  great  chief  of 
the  French.  Some  of  them  soon  learned  to 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross  in  Chinook  jargon, 
and  to  sing  the  first  verses  of  two  hymns  in  the 
same  dialect.  Two  Indian  children  only  re- 
ceived baptism,  Itecause  the  parents  were  a- 
fraid  of  that  medicine.  There  were  6  bapt- 
tisms,  and  two  marriages  were  made.  Mass 
was  celebrated  on  the  last  Sunday  outside  of 
the  fort,  in  a  repository  made  of  matting,  to 
give  the  Indians  an  opportunity  of  witnessing 
the  great  ceremony ;  the  men  sitting  on  their 
mats  in  a  semi-circle  iu  front  of  the  altar,  and 
the  women  behind  them.  At  Mass  as  well  as 
at  vespers,  the  two  choirs  of  men  and  women 
made  the  air  resound  with  the  chant  of  their 
hymns.  And  so  amazed  were  the  Indians, 
that  after  the  service  was  over,  they  remained 
a  long  time  before  leaving  their  places.  Poor 
Bro.  Wilson  who,  from  a  sailor  boy  had  be- 
come a  preacher,  was  looking  at  this  Catholic 
demonstration  of  the  Indians,  with  no  small 
astonishment. 

Short  Heunion  or  the  two  Mi*«8ionarie8. 

Objection  Raised  to  the  Residence  at  the 

Wili^mette.    Parting  or  the  Missionaries 

roR  Winter  Qoarters. 

The  vicar  general  left  Nisqually  on  Thurs- 
day and  reached  Cowlitz  on  Saturday,  Sept. 
14,  blessed  and  planted  a  high  cross  and  leav- 
ing this  place  four  days  later,  arrived  at  Vaa- 
couver  on  the  20th,  where  he  was  joined,  on 
Oct.  1st,  by  Father  Demers,  returning  from 
his  mission  of  3  months  and  10  days  to  the 
upper  Columbia.     The  result  of  his  mission, 


nan 


Catholic  Chlkcii  is  Oregon. 


37 


n-  to  baptisins,  wm*  as  follows  :  at  Colville  37  ; 
■  f  whites  12,  of  Indians  2.') :  at  Okauauau  19  ; 
ot'  wliites  4,  of  Iiulians  15  :  at  Walla  Walla  5  ; 
if  whites  2,  of  Indians  3 :  ou  tlie  way  12  In- 
ilians  were  baptized,  tnakin<r  the  number  of 
iiiiplisins  73 — 18  whites,  and  55  Indiana.  The 
|(iv  of  their  reunion  was  increased  bv  the  good 
news  that  governor  Douglas  had  coinnnini- 
liited  to  the  vicar  general  on  his  arrival  there, 
and  which,  ou  request,  he  later  gave  in  writ- 
ing, viz : — 

Fort  Vancouver,  Oct.  9!h,  1839. 

My  dear  8ir:  I  uni  directed  to  infurni  you 
that  the  governor  and  conuniltee  buve  no  fur- 
ther objection  totheefltablishmentof  aRuinan 
Catholic  misRion  in  the  Willuiuette;  and  you 
are  therefore  at  liberty  to  take  any  means  you 
may  consider  necessary  towards  tlie  preiuotion 
iif  that  object.  I  remain,  my  dear  8lr,  Yimra 
very  truly,  Jamks  Douglas. 

Very  Rev.  F.  N.  Blanchet,  V.  G. 

It  was  on  the  representntions  the  good  Dr. 
MiLoughlin  had  made,  on  his  late  journey  to 
Loudon,  that  the  objections  to  a  residence  were 
raised.  Ou  hearing  this  fact,  the  two  mission- 
aries began  to  prepare  themselves  for  depart- 
ure. And  being  ready  t«'  start  on  Thursday 
Oct.  lOlh,  they  bade  adic  their  endeared 
(•ongregatioo,  to  the  ladiet*  -d  gentlemen  of 
I  he  fort,  and  to  governor  Douglas,  tenderiug 
hiui  their  warmest  thanks  for  the  generous  hos- 
pitality they  had  received  ;  and,  starting  in  dif- 
ferent canoes,  they  went  down  the  river  and 
landed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette,  where 
they  had  supper  together, after  which  they  part- 
ed for  their  winter  quarters  ;  Father  Demers 
for  the  Cowlitz,  and  the  vicar  general  fur  the 
Willamette  mission,  which  he  reached  early 
on  Saturday,  while  his  dear  confrire  reached 
his  mission  but  on  Sunday,  owing  to  the  heavy 
load  in  hi!>  canoe,  and  the  many  dangerous 
rapids  on  the  river.  Ou  the  day  after  his  ar- 
rival he  blessed  the  bell  he  had  brought  with 
him,  which  weighed  50  lbs,  had  it  set  up  40 
Let  from  the  grouud,  and  began  to  riug  the 
.In^e/iM  three  times  a  day.  The  vicar  general 
>vlio  had  also  brought  one  which  weighed  80 
11)8.  had  it  blessed  two  days  before  Christmas, 
and  began  toringthe^njre/us  three  timesaday. 
Ml  honor  of  the  IncaruatioD,  and  glory  of  Mary 
immaculate. 


The  hall  of  30  by  \'£  feet,  scparateil  from 
the  nltir  by  apar  ition.  needed  the  loose  floor 
to  be  fixed,  the  ceiling  and  s<.ine  partitions  had 
to  be  made;  a  man  undertook  the  job.  which 
he  performed  in  three  weeks.  Dr.  John  Mc- 
Laughlin had  arrived  at  Vancouver  from  Eu- 
rope, by  the  express  boat,  on  Oct.  18.  His 
visit  to  the  Willamette  settlement  was  warm- 
ly greeted  by  all  as  a  father,  (ireat  was  the 
joy  of  the  people  of  the  two  missions,  in  hav- 
ing a  priest  to  remain  with  each  of  them. 
Great  also  was  the  joy  of  all  in  having  a  high 
miduight  Mass,  at  Christmas,  in  both  churches, 
which  were  full  to  completion.  This  closes 
the  labors  of  the  missionaries  in  1839. 


(published  MAY  SOtii   1878.) 

Sketch  or  the  (^lowxrrz  Mission, 
BY  Rev.  M.  Dbmebs. 

Cowlitz,  Feb.  5,  1840. 
To  Rev.  F.  C.  Cazeault,  Secretary,  Quebec. 

My  dear  Sir:  Having  returned  on  the  lot  of 
Octolier  fnmi  a  mission  I  had  given  during  the 
HMunner,  in  the  upiier  part  <>!  the  Columbia, 
r  could  not  have  the  pleasure  of  staying  very 
long  with  the  vicar  general.  I  had  to  le -ve 
him  on  tlie  10th  of  the  same  month  to  t  ike 
charge  of  the  mission  on  the  Cowlitz  river, 
which  Rev.  Blanchet  bad  left  in  order  to  t)e  at 
Vancouver  durini;  the  month  of  Hepteml)er. 
This  separation  did  not  take  place  witiiout  sor- 
row as  we  were  leaving  eacli  other  not  to  meet 
axaiu  for  four  months;  but  was  imposed  upon 
UH  by  need  and  duty.  In  effect,  the  permission 
of  settling  permanently  in  the  Willamette  bad 
been  Krante<l  to  the  great  advantage  of  itsdaily 
increasing  Catholic  population.  The  Cowlitz 
mission  liad  not  to  be  neglected  either,  and  it 
was  assigned  to  me.  Having  left  Vancouver 
both  on  Thursday,  Octoiier  10th,  we  look  sup- 
per together  at  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette, 
after  which  each  one  went  bis  way  in  ordt^r  to 
be  in  bis  respective  place  <m  the  following  Sun- 
day, which  I  could  not  do,  iiotwithstauiinK 
all  the  efforts  of  the  men  and  the  active  part  I 
tiMik  in  the  labor.  I  had  with  me  a  half-breed 
named  J.  B.  Boucher  und  three  Indians;  my 
canoe  was  large  and  contained  a  laree  quan- 
tity of  luggage,amongwhich  wasabell  weigh- 
ing 50  ]H>uu(fi.    I  was  tlierefore  deprived  of  the 


3« 


Historical  SivEtches  of  the 


happiness  of  celeliratiiiK  Mass,  ami  my  jK-ople 
of  hearinjtit.  Ahj^ooiuis  they  heard  I  wjixfHii- 
liig,  all  tl"fkt«l  to  meet  me.  They  welcomed 
me  ami  iarrie<l  my  baggage  to  my  resideiiee. 
After  mv  iiiHtHllaiioii  I  went  with  my  people 
to  pay  triltute  to  a  cross  erectefl  near  by. 

The  following  day,  Oct.  14th.  a  frame  was 
ereeted,  the  bell  was  ble.«»ed  and  placed  in  |)o- 
sition,  40  fe-.t  above  the  ground.  I  considered 
it  an  lionoi-  to  ring  the  Hint  Ani'  -nyself. 

A  constcrated  bell  was  heard  f(.  ..«.  ret  time 
in  the  valley  of  the  Cowlitz  hk  •"  as  in  the 
whole  extent  of  tins  vast  country.  Inuigine 
u  log  house  30  by  -JH  feft,  having  u  roof  like  a 
wolfs  head,  no'ceiling,  and  u  door  levelled 
with  an  axe,  and  you  will  have  an  idea  of  the 
place  where  I  spent  the  winter.  It  was  also 
my  chajiel.  They  have  decided  on  building 
another  liouse  an"d  had  even  dressed  the  lum- 
l)er  durinjc  the  pre<«dlng  winter,  but  instead 
of  that  they  determined  to  erect,  with  tlie 
same  kind  of  lumber,  acha|)el  <iO  feet  lonjf,  and 
to  Kave  'he  same  house  to  the  priest  until  he 
could  ge  a  l)etter  one.  The  (>)wlitz  mission 
has  still  liut  eight  families,  Including  those  of 
the  H.  li.  <*o.,  altogether 4()  iK-rsons,  exclusive 
of  a  few  Indians  who  lived  with  the  French, 
and  a  greater  or  smaller  number  of  employit's 
according  to  the  need  Three  days  in  the  wwk 
were  set  apart  for  the  instruction  of  the  Can- 
adians' wives  and  children;  the  liree  others 
were  >;iven  to  the  Indians  and  to  the  study  of 
the  Cowlitz  lauguage  which  is  very  dilticull 
for  a  beginner. 

Tlie  young  men  and  the  Indians  v  ho  'ivc 
^•'ith  the  French,  Ijeing  unable,  on  account  of 
their  work,  to  attend  during  the  day,  I  was 
obliged  to  give  tliem  part  of  tlie  nights.  For 
i;  or  2  iDurs  I  was  kept  busy  teacltiiiir  tliem 
their  praytrs,  reading  the  answers  at  Mass  and 
the  way  to  serve  it,  also  the  Plain  Chant. 

At  midnight  Mass,  on  the  festival  of  (.'hrist- 
ntas,  they  were  able,  by  the  means  of  rcj>eated 
exercises,  to  honor  the  birth  of  our  Bavior,  by 
uniting  their  voices  to  those  of  the  aii^'els  in 
the  (iloria  in  excdnui.  8«M>n  alter  tills  they  could 
als  >  help  tl;e  priest  in  singing  tlie  Civcb.  The 
young  men  of  this  mis'^ion,  as  well  as  all  the 
l)alf-l>reeds  in  general,  who  were  instructed  at 
F^irt  Vancouver,  owe  to  the  kind  dispositions 
and  devoted  cares  of  Dr.  John  McLaughlin  the 
knowledge  they  have  of  the  letter  of  their  cate- 
chism before  the  coming  of  the  luissionuriefi;  a 
benefit  which  is  surely  not  the  least  amongst 
t  hose  the  ( ■anadlaii!'  received  at  his  hands,  and 
for  which  they  owe  him  an  eternal  gratitude. 
Ex^)erleiice  has  taught  us  not  to  rely  too 
mncli  on  the  first  demonstrations  of  the  Indi- 
ans iiuron  the  tirst  dispositions  they  manifest. 
Those  of  the  Cowlitz  promised  letter  success. 


Evtry  where  we  meet  the  same  iib^-tables  wliich 
always  recard  the  conversion  of  the  Indians, 
namely:  iiolygamy,  their  adherence  to  the  cus- 
toms of  t  lieiV  aiicestore  and,  still  more,  to  tinn- 
anmiK,  the  name  given  to  the  medicines  they 
prepare  for  the  sick.  This  tamunwan  Is  geiier- 
mIIv  transmitted  In  famUies,  and  even  w«)inen 
can  pretend  to  the  honor  of  making  It.  If  any 
one  Is  sick  they  call  In  the  medicine-man.  No 
ilanger  of  their  asking  him  what  he  wants  for 
his  trouble;  they  would  l>e  afraid  of  Insulting 
him.  Whatever  he  asks  Is  given  him  without 
the  least  objection;  otherwise  they  may  fear 
everything  from  that  doctor,  who  will  not  fail 
to  take  his  revenge  for  a  refusal  by  sending 
some  misfortune,  or  some  sickness,  or  even 
death  through  his  medicines  to  the  one  who 
refused  him.  be  he  50  leagues  off.  If  any  one 
is  d<  "d.  such  a  one  kille<l  him;  then  let  him 
look  out  on  whimi  the  least  suspicion  fulls;  his 
life  Is  in  the  greatest  danger;  the  least  they  will 
do  to  him  will  be  to  kill  Ids  horses,  if  they  do 
not  kill  himself;  and  to  force  him  to  give  all 
that  lie  has,  through  fear  of  death.  A  serious 
quarrel  took  place  lately  on  that  acc«>unt. 

Hand  play  isalso  very  common  amongthem, 
thty  get  excited  and  often  end  it  with  a  quar- 
rel. They  add  idolatry  to  Infidelity.  They 
paint  on  a  piece  of  wwid  a  rough  likeness  of  a 
human  licing  and  keep  It  very  preciously. 
They  believe  these  charms  haveasuperlor  pow- 
eraiid  strength,  and  they  pray  tothem.  When 
they  have  exhausted  all  the  resources  of  the 
^(?w(t;««,s  which  often  makes  the  evil  worse, 
and  the  sick  man  dies,  they  scarcely  allow  his 
eyes  to  close  liefore  they  are  covered  with  a 
m-ail  bandage;  his  nostrils  aie  then  filled  up 
with(nA«m,a  kind  of  shell  they  use  for  money; 
he  Is  clad  In  his  best  clothes  and  wrapped  up 
ill  a  blanket;  four  |  osts  are  diivsn  into  the 
ground:  ill  these  posts  holes  are  bored,  through 
which  sticks  are  passed,  upon  which  Is  placed 
the  canoe  destined  to  receive  the  corpse  jilaced 
in  file  with  hlsancestors.  They  place  him  face 
downward  with  his  head  pointing  toward  the 
nmuth  of  the  river.  Not  a  handful  of  dust  Is 
laid  upon  him;  the  canoe  Is  covered  with  a 
great  number  of  in  \t8  and  all  is  over.  Then 
they  present  their  <*fterings  to  the  dead.  If  he 
•..as  a  chief  or  great  warrior  amongst  his  men, 
thev  lay  by  his  side  his  gun,  his  powder  horn 
ami  his  bag:  valuable  otjects,  such  as  wooden 
plates,  axes,  kettles,  bows,  -irrows,  skins  Ac, 
are  placed  upon  sticksaround  his  canoe.  Then 
comes  the  tribute  of  tears  which  the  spnuw-s 
pay  to  ach  other  and  to  their  children.  Day 
and  night  for  a  month  or  more,  continuous 
weeping,  shouting  and  wailing  may  be  beard 
from  a  great  distance.  When  the  canoe  gets 
rotten  and  falls  to  the  ground,  the  reinaiusare 


Catholic  Chlkcu  in  Okeoon. 


39 


taken  out,  wrapped  up  in  new  blankets  tind 
laid  in  a  new  cuiioe.  They  cling  8o  niucli  to 
I  Ilia  ki'i  of  huriala  that  during  tlie  winter,  a 
huptized  child  having  died  witliout  my  knowl- 
edge, I  could  not  induce  them  to  take  it  out  of 
the  canoe  in  order  to  g^ve  it  ChriHtian  burial. 
ThiH  adheoion  to  burial  rites  and  (atnanwas^f  ill 
cause  the  missionariea  to  bn  more  pnident  in 
baptizing.  We  have  learned  not  to  trust  the 
repeated  promise*  they  make  to  us  not  to  liave 
recourse  to  tiie  tamanwag  if  the  baptized  eliild 
gets  sick.  You  may  see  that  pn>grew  baa  been 
verv  slow  among  thera  so  fur;  their  customs 
and  hubits  are  so  inveterate  tliat  it  will  take  a 
long  time  tVtr  religion  and  the  fear  and  knowl- 
edge of  Uod  to  unnN>t  and  destroy  thementire- 
ly.  Polygamy  is  not  as  widely  spread  now  as 
it  used  to  be,  but  tliere  U  in  Itotti  sexes  a  fear- 
ful immorality.  It  is  kept  up  and  often  taught 
by  the  whites  who,  by  their  Hcandnlo'.is  con- 
duct and  lioundlesB  debaucheries.,  destroy  the 
impressions  made  by  the  truths  of  rellKion. 

This  year  the  ndssion  will  lend  to  ihe  In- 
<Uans  t<ecd  to  sow  in  garden  patches,  esitecially 
(teas  and  potat<x?8.  Perhaps  they  will  then  try 
to  come  out  of  the  miserable  state  in  which 
t  liey  are  languishing,  when  they  will  see  that, 
with  a  little  trouble  and  latxtr,  they  can  amel- 
iorate it.  Tlie  peas  and  potatoes  may  make 
tlieni  forget  the  tierries  and  the  camas.  Time 
prevents  me  from  giving  a  greater  extent  to 
tills  sketch.    I  am  Ac,    M.  Demers,  priest. 


(published  jcnk  6th  1878.) 

MissioNART  Labors  in  1840.     Missions  to 

Vancouver.  Nisqually,  Whidbt  Ii^lano. 

Chinook  Point,  Bridges  and  Coi.ville. 

First  Cohhumiom  at  St.  Paul 

IM  EARIED  with  a  separation  of  four  long 
\j[  mouths.  Rev.  M.  Demerd  left  Cowlitz 
nil  Feb.  7th  for  St.  Paul,  which  he  reached  on 
the  nth,  having  had  to  brave  niud  aud  rain, 
cold  aud  snow,  aud  spent  three  days  iu  his 
journey  to  Vancouver,  where  he  stopped  four 
(lays,  and  three  other  diiys  on  his  way  to  St. 
Pn^d.  He  reuiaiueil  but  8  days  there,  his  pres- 
et jeing  much  needed  iu  Vancouver,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  25th,  ia  order  to  oppose  the 
efforts  minister  Daniel  Lee  was  making  among 
the  Indians  of  thj  fort  ttiuce  Jauuary. 


To  deny  the  necessity  of  baptism  is  to  deny 
the  existence  of  urigiaal  sin  ;  aud  to  deny  the 
existence  of  original  siu  is  to  deny  the  neces- 
sity of  Redemption,  and  d'>c]are  that  religion 
is  a  fable  ;  for  such  are  the  consequences  fol- 
lowing from  the  denial  of  origiual  siu  :  and, 
alas,  such  was  nevertheless  the  hcrrible  and 
damnable  doctrine  ^hich  the  Methodist  min- 
isters of  Willameile  preached  formerly  to  the 
Canadians,  saying :  *'A  child  is  sAvod  and  is  a 
king  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  without  bapt- 
ism ;  adults  are  also  saved  if  their  hearts  are 
pof>d,"  and  strange  to  say,  that  minister  who 
had  failed  with  his  co-iuiuisters  to  convert  his 
countrymen  aud  the  Canadians,  did  not  leave 
t  he  fort  before  giving,  by  aspersion,  such  a  sham 
liaptism  to  Indians  ignoring  God,  the  Holy 
Trinity,  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption,  and 
any  prayers  ;  and  who,  in  reaching  the  mission 
at  the  Dallcji,  did  the  same  with  ignorant  and 
polygauiist  Indians,  giving  to  them  bread  and 
wine. 

Rev.  M.  Demers  dividing  his  time  between 
(lie  servants,  women  and  children  of  the  whites, 
and  the  Indians,  taught  them  all,  and  had  but 
little  trouble  to  iiudeccive  tl>  Vitter,  with  the 
help  of  the  (JatkoHc  Ladder;  nud  to  bring  them 
hack  from  the  erroneous  road  of  Protestantism. 
ilis  missiiin  lasted  36  days,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Cowlitz  on  April  5th,  having  been 
57  days  absent. 

The  vicar  general  having  prepared  his  letter 
for  the  express  leaving  for  Canada,  left  St. 
Paul  on  March  16th,  aud  reached  Vancouver 
on  the  same  day,  because  of  the  strong  current 
of  the  high  water;  that  was  the  quickest  trip 
ever  made.  One  item  of  his  report  to  Canada 
was:  from  March  1839  to  March  1840,  were 
made  204  baptisms,  35  marriages,  14  burials 
and  oue  abjuration  at  St.  Paul.  Of  the  bapt- 
isms, 13  at  the  Colvilie  mission,  71  at  Van- 
couver, 30  at  Cowlils,  19  at  Nisqually  and  11 
at  St.  Paul.  The  vicar  general  left  St.  Paul 
on  May  4th  on  a  journey  to  Cowlitz,  in  order 
to  deliberate  with  Rev.  M.  Demers  on  the  plan 
of  the  summer  campaign.  At  Vancouver  he 
had  the  pleasure  to  open  two  cases  of  books, 
church  ornaments  aud  other  effects,  coming 
from  Frauce ;  aud  on  the  9th,  the  two  mission- 
aries were  embracing  each  other ;  but  the  con- 


Mi 


■M 


40 


Historical  S&ktcues  or  the 


Bola(ioii  of  meetinn;  togetlier  did  not  last  long, 
by  reason  of  the  vicar  general,  being  called  a- 
way  by  letter  to  visit  some  person  tliat  was  sick, 
had  to  leave  on  the  14th  for  Nisqually,  where 
he  found  Mr.  Kitson,  the  commander  of  the 
fort,  sick  ill  his  bed.  The  exercisos  of  the  mis- 
sioii  at  this  fort  commenced  without  delay,  and 
lasted  from  the  16th  to  the  27th  of  May :  the 
forenoon  being  devoted  to  the  instruction  of  the 
women  and  children  of  the  Canadians,  and  the 
rest  of  the  day  to  the  Indians  outside  of  the  fort. 
Mrs.  Kitson  being  kind  enough,  as  usual,  lo  act 
as  iutepreter.  Mrs.  Kitson  having  taught  the 
Indian  women  how  to  make  for  themselves, 
robes  of  dressed  deer  skins,  they  appearetl  this 
time,  dressed  like  white  women.  All  were  reg- 
ular at  the  instructions.  In  visiting  the  lodges 
in  the  evening,  the  vicar  general  was  pleased 
to  see  the  improvements  made,  in  making  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  singing  Chinook  hymns  and 
repeating  what  they  had  learned. 

On  May  18lh,  chief  Sahiwamiith  arrived 
with  a  band  of  his  people.  One  of  them  being 
sick  with  consumption,  was  prepared  for  bapt- 
ism, wlien  one  day,  his  companions  moveil  by 
a  supcr.«titious  fear,  carried  him  away;  it  took 
two  days  to  overtake  him  and  bring  him  back. 
He  was  baptized  at  the  age  of  40,  with  a  wo- 
man and  8  children,  and  afurwards  showed 
much  faith  and  resignation  to  the  will  of  God. 
The  missionary  expected  to  see,  at  the  mission, 
three  other  chiefs,  called  Talalakuin,  Nelhmtu 
und  Wilskolatche;  but  the  murder  of  a  man  by 
a  Sockiratnish,  having  rendered  traveling  on 
that  bay  dangerous,  they  did  not  come.  The 
priest  was  much  consoled  on  seeing  the  ea<;cr- 
ness  of  the  Indians  to  come  at  the  first  bell,  to 
listen  to  the  explanation  of  the  Catholic  Ladder 
and  words  of  eternal  life,  under  the  shade  of 
a  large  tree. 

The  vicitr  general  was  preparing  to  close  his 
mission  n  -d  return  to  Cowlitz,  when  on  ihe 
'2tJth  of  May,  a  cauoe  arrived  containing  six 
Indians  and  one  woman.  They  were  chief 
Txlalakums  men  atid  his  wife,  sent  by  him,  and 
directed  to  bring  the  priest  to  see  him  and  his 
tribe,  as  he  was  sick  and  unable  to  come  him- 
self; and  in  proof  thereof,  his  wife  presented 
the  vicar  general  with  a  skin  sheath,  which 
was  found  to  contain  the  square  rule  (Shale 


stick)  he  had  received  on  his  visit  to  Cowlitz, 
in  April  1831'.  Thanking  God  for  the  door 
opened  to  him,  the  vicar  general  started  May 
27th,  in  a  canoe  of  his  own,  lauded  at  differ- 
ent places  on  the  bay,  to  address  the  words  of 
salvation  to  the  Indians,  and  arrived  the  fol- 
lowing day,  the  Ascension  day,  at  Tdalakum 
village, on  the  western  shore  of  Whidby  Island. 
A  battle  had  taken  place  on  tht .  very  sauie  day 
between  his  tribe,  the  Skekwaminh  ..ud  the 
Klalavit  of  Port  Towosend,  in  which  the  lat- 
ter, who  were  the  aggressors,  lost  two  men,  be- 
cause, as  Tdalakum  said:  "these  men  do  not 
know  God,  nor  pray  to  Him."  He  had  tried 
to  stop  the  fight,  but  in  vain.  He  had  been 
protected  by  the  cross  he  wore  on  his  neck. 
All  this  explained  the  strange  movement  of  the 
Indians,  runningon  the  shore  and  calling"  Who 
are  you'r"  (qui  vive)  on  seeing  the  two  canoes 
coasting  along  the  island. 

The  priest,  in  his  black  gown,  was  received 
with  the  greatest  demonstration  of  joy  by  Tslaf- 
aknm  and  his  lril)e.  and  his  baggage  seized  and 
carried  to  the  village  on  the  high  land,  60  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  bay.  On  Friday,  May 
2yth,  an  altar  was  prepared  in  a  repository 
made  with  mats  ;  a  rough  board  was  the  altar 
table  ;  the  vestments  for  Mass  and  the  sacred 
vessels  were  exposed ;  a  Catholic  Ladder,  six 
feet  by  15  inches,  was  attached  to  a  mat  and 
hoisted  high  on  a  pole,  before  the  eyes  of  all. 
"I  then  began  the  instruction  by  making  the 
sign  of  the  cross  in  Chinook  jargon,"  says  the 
vicar  general  in  his  relation  to  the  bishop  of 
Quebec,  "and  to  my  great  astonishment,  all 
the  assembly,  men,  women  and  children  made 
the  same,  pronouncing  the  words  exactly  as 
practical  and  fervent  Christians.  I  began  to 
sing  the  first  verse  of  a  hymn  in  Chinook  jar- 
gon, to  the  air  of  'TV  vas  remplir  le  vau  de  ta 
tendrette'  and,  behold,  to  my  great  wonder, 
all  continued  to  sing  it  to  the  end,  with  exact 
precision.  I  began  to  sing  another  one  to  the 
tune  '•Je  mett  ma  eonfiance,'  and  to  my  iucreas- 
intr  in-eat  astonishment,  they  all  continued  and 
sang  it  as  well  a6  the  first  one.  I  admired  the 
SUCTO88  Tdalakum  had  had  in  teaching  his  peo- 
ple ;  I  blessed  the  Lord  for  the  good  disposi- 
tions of  the  poor  ladian.  and  my  joy  was  so 
wreat  that  I  shed  tears  of  gratitude. 


Catholic  Chukch  is  Okkgon. 


41 


'•I  .vats  tlien  dressed  in  surplice,  wiili  a  stole, 
nud  be;riiiiiiii<;  llie  explHiiiition  of  the  ('ntliolic 
Ladder,  when  ehief  Witska/ritche  arrived  with 
ii  hand  of  his  tribe  from  another  part  of  the 
inland,  and  came  to  shake  liands;  I'U'iei'  Nelliim 
siion  came  a!:?o  with  his  bands.  All  the  chiefs 
^at  in  front,  the  rest  behind  hud  on  the  sides. 
That  was  indeed  quite  a  l.".r;^c  meeting.  I  then 
l»^<;an  to  dress  for  Mass^  and  to  explain  the 
-Mass,  the  Oreat  Prayer  of  Catholics.  On  the 
wiiole  assembl}-  making  the  sign  of  the  cross 
and  singing  the  aforesaid  verses  of  the  hymns, 
I  became  convinced  that  Nellam  and  Wttska- 
I'llrhe  had  not  done  less  than  Tslalakiim  with 
tlieirtribes.  The  Ca<Ao/ic  Larfrf«»di8tribiited 
at  Nisqually,the  preceding  year,  had  been  used 
and  explained,  utid  the  singing  of  hymns  prac- 
ticed. The  two  hymns  were  repeated  altern- 
ately during  the  whole  Mass.  In  admiration 
of  what  I  heard  and  saw,  I  thought  I  was  in 
heaven,  rather  than  in  an  In<lian  country. 
Tears  of  joy  fell  again  from  my  eyes.  An  in- 
finite satisfaction  had  been  offered  to  God  for 
tlie  sins  of  these  poor  people.     There  was  hope. 

Other  bands  of  Indians  arrived  after  Mass, 
and  among  them  a  Klalam  who  spoke  in  favor 
iif  |)eace.  I  continued  my  iusti-uetion  till  night, 
and  the  day  ended  by  prayer,  rosary,  and  the 
singing  of  hymns.  The  body  of  the  Klalam 
killed  in  the  battle  was  found  and  buried  by  the 
old  men,  for  the  youug  men  woidd  not  touch  a 
iorp.«e,  fearing  that  it  would  shorten  their  life." 


(PUBLISHED   JL'NE    UiTII    1878.) 

^N  Saturday,  May  30tl.,  a  large  number  of 
Indians  arrived  from  various  parts  of  the 
island,  who  showed  themselves  as  attentive  to 
the  instructions  and  as  recollected  at  Mass,  as 
the  day  before.  I>esiring  to  visit  the  island, 
1  directed  my  steps  towards  the  north,  passed 
tliroiiirl"  beautiful  prairies,  forests  of  lar:re 
irees,  fields  of  potatoes,  cultivated  with  no 
•)ti>er  iiisirnmeut  than  a  c  irved  slick,  and  ar- 
rived at  the  house  of  Nettuin,  situated  on  the 
•Mstern  point  of  the  island.  It  was  a  housa 
luule  of  logs,  30  ly  20  feet,  ceiled,  an.l  furn- 


ished inside  with  a  lii|)e>iry  of  mat.*,  with  an 
ope  ling  in  the  center  to  let  the  smoke  out. 
Neilam  received  me  with  great  attention  and 
showed  me  the  place  to  sit  down  on  a  pile  of 
folded  mats.  There  was  no  p<ilygamy  in  this 
house,  as  generally  practiced  by  other  chiefs. 
I  regretted  very  much  to  have  no  lime  to  bap- 
tize and  bless  this  iuleresting  couple.  After 
prayer  and  singing  of  hymns,  I  went  to  the 
hhore  and  found  15  lodges  of  Indians,  who  ha<l 
never  seen  the  hlade-fjoum.  On  seeing  me  thev 
cried  out,  and  placing  themselves  in  a  line, 
men,  women  and  children,  to  the  number  of 
over  150,  they  came  to  touch  my  hand,  a  cer- 
emony <:f  etiquette  ;  after  which  they  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  and  sang  the  Chinook  jargon 
hymns,  which  they  had  learned,  as  well  as  the 
other  tribes.  I  advised  them  to  come  to  Mass 
an<l  to  bring  their  children  for  baptism  on  the 
following  day.  I  left  them  full  of  joy  in  order 
to  return  to  my  ten»<  where  I  found  a  large  re- 
union of  Indians,  who  listened  attentively  to 
my  instruction,  which  was  protracted  late  in 
the  evening,  notwithstanding  a  high  wind,  the 
noise  of  the  waves  and  foliage. 

On  Simday,  May  31sl,  Nellam  arrived  early 
with  his  band  of  Skagits,  their  women  and 
cliildren.  Next  appeared  at  the  head  of  his 
band,  the  Snohofuish,  accompnniet!  by  inferior 
chiefs,  M  itskalutche,  surnamed  L"  Frun^ais. 
(The  Frenchman)  clad  in  full  French  costume, 
trow.-ers,  shirt,  vest,  overcoat  garnished  with 
porcupine  quills,  hat  and  cravat.  Tslalaktim 
came  also  with  his  band  of  Sokwamish;  all 
placed  themselves  according  to  rank,  to  the 
nuniber  of  400.  The  exercises  of  the  preced- 
ing day  were  repeated  with  the  same  spirit 
and  zeal  as  ou  the  previous  day,  before  and 
during  holy  Mass.  My  emotion  was  great  at 
the  sight  of  such  a  multitude  of  Indians,  so  ea- 
ger for  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  and  at  the  sing- 
ing, so  pure  and  so  expressive  by  the  many 
voices,  whose  accent  so  natural,  seemed  to  me 
to  surpass  in  beauty  the  harmony  of  the  most 
!'-t.ai!i«d  oomposititm.i  of  music  masters  ;  it  was 
so  great  that  I  could  not  master  it. 

The  holy  Mass  being  t  .r,  the  dinner  of 
salmon  and  smoked  deer  I  had  ordered,  was 
served  ou  mats  before  the  chiefs;  all  were  tilled 
with  joy  :  then  followed  the  great  smoking  of 


42 


Historical  Sketches  or  thk 


the  cahiinet  of  peace  and  union  between  the 
tribes.     In  the  midst  of  the  joyous  and  noisy 
chatting,  was  heard  a  great  crying  out ;  all 
rose  up  and  saw  a  heavy  wooden  cross  24  feet 
long  in  the  arms  of  numerous  Indians  who  were 
advancing  t<»ward8  the  spot  prepared  for  it ; 
it  being  solemnly  blessed  and  erected,  and  all 
following  the  example  of  the  biackg(yim,  went 
and  prostrated  themselves  and  venerated  if. 
Then  followed  the  singing  of  hymns  by  this 
joyous  multitude  of  Indians  rendering  homage 
to  God  and  Jesus  Christ  for  the  first  time.     To 
this  moving  spectacle  succeeded  another  one, 
the  baptism  of  the  chiUlren.     The  mothers  of 
the  children  were  placed  in  two  lines,  leaving 
an  alley  in  the  center  for  me  to  move,  and  also 
for  the  fathers  and  the  children.     1  again  ex- 
plained the  fall  t  f  man.  the  mystery  of  re- 
demption, the  tuerfictwe  of  baptism.     I  required 
of  all  a  profession  of  faith  and  an  abjuration  ; 
and  all  were  loudly  answering:  "Yes.  we  bj- 
lieve  in  God  who  created  all  things.     Yes,  we 
believe  in  Jesus  Clirist,  who  came  to  redeem  us. 
Yes,  we  believe  He  has  made  seven  mediciiifs 
to  make  ns  good.     Yes,  we  believe  He  has 
made  but  one  road  to  go  to  heaven.     Yes,  we 
promise  to  keep  and  follow  the  road  of  the 
blackgowii,  which  is  the  one  Jesus  Christ  ma  'c 
Yes,  we  reject  all  other  roads  lately  made  by 
men.  Yes,  we  renounce  the  devil,  his  thoughts, 
words  and  deeds.     Yes,  we  desire  to  know, 
love  and  serve  the  great  Master  of  all  things." 
Then  began  the  ceremony  of  solemn  bapt- 
ism, which  lasted  four  hours,  during  which  I 
baptized  122  children.     The  heat  was  very  op- 
pressive; the  chiltlren  were  sc.nred  and  crying, 
and  soon  all  retired. 

Mond«v.  June  1st,  was  spent  in  the  ordin- 
ary instruM  ions  and  exercises.  Tuesday,  Jiuie 
2nd.  was  fixed  for  my  departure,  to  the  great 
sorrow  of  the  poor  Indians;  I  recommsndeil 
the  chiefs  to  oiiccnn-age  llieir  people  to  follow 
the  road  ol  liie  hlachjown,  and  urge  the  con- 
clusii  '  ofpeace  before  the  leaving  ot'llie  priest. 
For  tli;tt  jxirpose  Wi'xhnlat-hc  wu*  depntt'd  to 
the  Shrkirainish:  and.  in  changing  my  route  for 
Nistpnilly.  1  liml  the  hiippiness  to  coirribule 
to  the  re'coiicilialioii  of  two  tribes.  Having 
•riven  my  great  (Jalholic  Ladthr  'o  N<ll"iii.  '  o 
oflered  to  carry  me  to  Xisqn  illy  in  his  large 


wooden  canoe,  which  with  '2S  men,  was  still 
light.     My  canoe  was  carried  over  to  Ncllnm'f 
place,  and  I  started  on  that  day.     In  coasting 
along    he  island  I  saw  fort?  18  to  20  feet  high, 
raised  by  ih"  Indians  to  protect  themselves  a- 
gainst  the  YvgoUah  of  Fraser  River.      I  visited 
several  tribes,  and  in  one  village  125  canie  to 
touch  my  hand,  and  were  found  able  to  make 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  lo  sing  the  C  hinook 
hymns.     I  slop|  ed  Till  night  at  the  village  of 
the   Ske/cuuniiiili.  the  Indians  wl  t  Ii.mI  !ieen 
fighting.  At  this  place  about  140  came  to  touch 
my  hand,  and  made  the  sign  of  the  cn)ss,  and 
sai.g  the  hynms  equally  as  veil  ns  the  other 
tribes.     StitahfHihan,  their  chief,  who  had  vis- 
ited Father  Demers  at  Cowlitz,  had  taught 
ti.em  what  he  had  learned  himself.     On  Wed- 
ncsdiiy,  June  8rd.  I  solemnly  baptized  '.'♦>  chil- 
dren ;  after  which  took  place  the  meeting  for 
the  conclusion  of  peace,  which  lasted  nenr  y 
four  honrs.     My  address  was  transmitted  by 
my  interpreter  to  a  third  one,  who  delivered 
it  to  the  chiefs  with  an  astonishing  eloquence. 
After  many  and  hmg  harangues,  it  was  cou- 
«luded  that  the  Skekwantish  slundd  pay  two 
guns  to  the  Khlam»  for  the  two  men  killed. 
Witskii/iitche  took  the  guns  and  carried  them 
to  the  Klalnms,  who,    according  to  custom, 
would  give  something  in  return.     Thus  was 
jieace  coix-luded.     I  then  started  at  3  p.  m., 
traveled  all  Thursday,  and  reached  Nisqually 
on  Friday,  and  found  Mr.  Kitson  b«     .r,  and 
started  ai  2  p.  ni.  for  Cowlitz,  whicli  I  reached 
on  .Saturday,  June.  6th,  at  10  p.  m      The  fruits 
of  the  mission  were  :  9  baptisms  at  Nisqually, 
218  at  Whitby,  6  on  the  way,  total  238. 


(hublishku  jcne  20th  1878.) 

1  YANY  of  the  Chinook  tribe  had  already 
^yr  seen  the  hlaikgmvn  at  Fort  Vancouver, 
and  hail  their  childre.i  baplizeil ;  but  they  had 
not  yet  been  visited  in  their  own  land.  The 
time  having  arrived  to  visit  them  at  home, 
Rev.  M.  Demers  left  Cowlitz  on  May  19th. 
Mild  arrived  at  Astoria  on  the  21.sl.  The  lon>- 
expected  ship  bringing  from  the  East,  Jasi  u 


Catholic  Chcrcii  in  Orkgon. 


-J.'l 


IjM-,  with  a  number  of  MeilxHlist  ministers, 
their  wives  Hnil  several  youii;;  ladies  had  just 
iTossed  the  bar;  they  were  to  be  distributed  nil 
over  the  country,  in  opposition  tu  the  Catholic 
missionaries.  On  the  following  day.  Rev.  M. 
Demers  went  on  his  mission,  and  fixeii  his  tent 
union<!  the  ChinooKS.  He  met  there  Daniel 
life,  till!  preacher,  who,  after  a  few  days  left 
him  a  clear  8tii<ro,  being  in  a  hurry,  no  doubt, 
i<>  visit  the  ship  in  order  to  have  the  first  choice 
for  a  wife  among  the  young  misses.  As  to 
the  Rev.  M.  Ucmers,  with  a  little  bell  in  one 
liand,  and  a  Catholic  Ladder  in  the  other,  he 
continued  his  mission  for  three  weeks,  instnict- 
ing  the  adults,  baptizing  the  children,  and  do- 
ing much  good.  lie  returned  home  much  sat- 
isfied, after  an  ab.sence  of  26  days.  He  re- 
mained but  two  days  with  the  vicar  general, 
having  to  leave  on  June  loth  for  Vancouver, 
ill  order  to  administer  to  the  Brigades  going 
\orth  and  South,  before  leaving  for  the  Col- 
viile  mission. 

After  Rev.  M.  Demers  had  left  Cowlitz,  the 
\  icar  general  remainetl  in  order  to  be  present 
lit  the  erection  of  the  new  chapel,  measuring 
2.')  by  oO  feet,  wliicli  took  place  on  June  I7tli; 
and  leaving  on  the  19th,  he  reached  Vancon- 
vir  on  Sunday  morning,  remained  four  days 
with  \i\»  dear  cun/rirv,  and  arrived  at  St.  Paul 
.Iiuie  21st,  after  an  absence  of  54  days. 

Rev.  M.  Demers,  having  given  a  mission  of 
tcti  days  at  Vancouver,  started  on  June  29lli, 
witli  the  Brigade  of  the  Porltnrs,  commanded 
Ity  chief  Factor  Ogden  ;  he  was  at  the  Qrandes 
Dulles  portage  on  July  5th.  at  Walla  Walla  on 
the  10th,  reached  the  Palonse  river  safely, 
half  way  between  Walla  Walla  and  Colville, 
and  arrived  at  last  at  the  end  of  his  far  distant 
mission,  luiving  suflf'ered  much  from  the  heat 
of  the  sun  and  the  want  of  water  for  himself 
and  his  Imrses.  Having  coinpleled  his  mission 
at  Colville  he  returned  by  way  of  Okanagan 
and  Walla  Walhi,  reaching  Vancouver  on  Oct. 
•Jnd.  jitst  three  months  and  six  days  after  he 
had  left  it.  After  a  few  days  of  rest,  he  started 
for  St.  Paul,  '.vhich  ho  reached  on  Oct.  11th. 
They  b')'.h  siarieil  together  for  Vancouver  on 
the  17th  in  ortler  to  give  that  place  a  mission 
of  fourteen  days  before  going  to  their  winter 
quarte  s  ;  after  which  the  vicar  general  reached 


the  Willamette  Oct.  31st,  and  Rev.  M.  Demci- 
reached  Cowlitz  on  the  same  day,  after  an  ah- 
.«ence  of  four  months  and  eighteen  days  from 
home.  At  St.  Paul  7  persons  were  found  suf- 
ficiently prepared  to  make  their  first  commu- 
nion in  December.  It  was  dnring  his  mission 
at  Colville  that,  hearing  there  was  a  priest 
somewhere  among  the  Indians  of  the  Rockv 
3Iountain8,  he  announced  the  fact  to  the  vicar 
general  by  a  letter  which  reached  him  on  the 
30th  of  August  1840. 

Lkttkr  of  Rt.  Rkv.  Joseph  RosATt, 

Bishop  of  St.  Lot  is,  to  thk  Rt.  Rev. 

Father  Gh>EHAi.<  fiheSoc'IETyofJesuh. 

St.  Louis,  October  20th,  1839. 

My  Rt.  Rev.  Father. 

Twenty-three  years  ago,  two  Fiidis  "t  of  the 
In^quols  mission,  left  their  native  country, 
Canada,  with  tweuty-two  other  warriors,  and 
went  to  settle  in  a  country  situated  between 
the  R(H>ky  Mountains  and  the  Pacific  ocean. 
That  country  is  inhabited  by  infidel  nations, 
and  especially  by  those  the  Frencli  call  TetfK 
i'hites.  They  married  there  and  were  incorpo- 
ratttl  into  the  Indian  nation.  As  they  were 
well  instructed  in  the  Catholic  religion,  pn>- 
fcwwd  by  tlie  Iroquois — converted  by  the  an- 
cient Fathers  <  f  your  Society — they  have  con- 
tinued to  practice  it  as  much  as  it  was  in  their 
power,  and  have  taught  it  to  their  wives  and 
children.  Tlielr  z«al  went  even  further;  be- 
coming arostles,  they  have  sown  the  first  seeds 
of  Catboilcily  in  the  midst  of  the  infidel  na- 
tions among  whom  tlicy  live.  These  precious 
jrems  l)egin  already  to' bring  forth  fruit,  for 
they  have  caused  to  spring  in  the  hearts  of  the 
Indians  the  dt  sire  of  having  missionaries  who 
would  teach  them  the  divine  law. 

Eight  or  nine  years  ago  (about  1880),  some 
of  the  Flatheaii  nation  came  to  St.  Louis.  The 
object  of  their  journey  wad  to  ascertain  if  the 
religion  spoken  of  with  so  much  praise  by  the 
Iroquois  warriors  was  tu  reality  such  as  repre- 
sented, and  above  all,  if  the  nations  that  have 
white  skin,  (name  they  give  to  £urt>pean8)  had 
adopted  and  practiced  it.  Soon  after  their  ar- 
rival in  St.  Louis,  they  fell  sick,  called  for  a 
priest  and  earnestly  asaed  by  signs  to  be  bap- 
tized. Their  request  was  cii>jcrl}'  gnmtcd  and 
they  received  the  ludy  baptism  with  great  de- 
votion; then  holdinj^t  lie  crucifix,  they  covered 
it  with  affectionate  kisses  and  expiretl. 

S  line  years  after  (about  1832),  the  Flathead 
nation  sent  again  one  of  the  Iroquois  to  Saint 
Louis.    There  he  came  with  two  of  bis  chll- 


■MM 


44 


Historical  Skftciiks  of  thk 


dreii,  who  were  limtnicted  und  bupHzed  Uy  the 
Fathers  of  the  col  lege.  He  asked  itdHttionarieM 
for  hJH  country  men,  and  utarted  with  the  hope 
that  one  <hiy  tlie  desire  of  the  nation  would  In? 
necoinplinhed;  but  on  his  Journey  he  was  killed 
bv  tlie  Infidel  Indianx  ot  the  Sioux  nation. 

At  last,  a  third  deputation  of  IndianH  ar- 
rived at  !St.  LouIh  (183t»)  after  a  long  voyage  of 
three  months.  It  wan  composed  of  two  t'hrl»- 
tian  IrcMiuois.  These  Indians  who  talk  French 
have  editted  us  hy  their  truly  exemnlnry  con- 
duct, and  interested  us  by  their  ciincourst-s. 
The  Fathers  of  the  college  have  heard  their 
t-onfe>*sionH,  and  to-day  tiiey  approHclied  the 
holy  tableat  my  Mass  in  the  catlietlrai  church. 
Afterwards  ladminiHlered  tliem  the  sacrament 
of  ( 'i>nt1rmation;and  in  an  allocution  delivered 
after  tlie  ceremony,  1  rejoiced  wl.h  tluni  at 
their  happiness,  and  gave  them  the  hope  lo 
have  soon  a  priest. 

They  will  leave  to-morrow  for  their  home;  a 
priest 'will  follow  I  hem  next  Spring.  Out  of 
the  twenty-four  IrtM|Uois  who  formerly  immi- 
grated from  Canada,  four  only  are  still  living. 
Not  content  with  planting  the  F.iith  in  tlu^^e 
savage  countries,  they  also  defended  it  agiiiiisl 
the  prejudices  of  the  Protestant  ndidsteiis. 
When  t'liese  pretended  missionaries  presented 
themselves,  our  good  Catholics  refused  to  re- 
ceive them.  "Tlu!^e  are  not  the  jn lists  we 
have  spoken  of  to  you,"  they  said  to  the  Flat- 
lieads,  "t hey  are  not  the  pHests  with  long  hhirk 
ytmnn,  who'have  no  wives,  who  say  Msihs,  an«l 
carry  a  crucifix  with  tliiin,"  &c.  F' r  (iod's 
sake,  my  Right  Rev.  Father,  forsake  not  lluir 
souis.     Adept,  &v.,  &(•. 

l{lJo.sKi'H,  Bishop  of  iSI.  Lcnis. 

The  letter  which  we  publish  above  from  the 
bishop  of  St.  Louis,  JIo.,  lo  the  General  of  the 
Jesuit  Fathers,  produced  at  once  the  result 
anticipated.  No  sooDer  had  these  coura<re«)U8 
soldiers  of  the  cross  learned  that  there  were 
thousands  of  soids  pining  for  the  presence  of 
the  true  disciples  of  God,  than  they  sol  to  work 
at  once  [lerfectiug  their  plans  .so  that  the  bread 
of  life  ini^lit  be  broked  to  the  Indians  in  the 
far  west.  Father  Peter  John  De  Sniet  was  se- 
lected as  the  apostle  to  carry  the  cross  to  the 
Flathead  nation,  and,  after  making  a  few  nec- 
essary prcpaniiiiui?,  liu  set  Oitt  in  tiie  .Npriiig  of 
1840  on  his  long  aud  arduous  journey.  Uf  the 
trials  which  beset  him  on  his  iriji  lie  lias  lell  a 
till!  account  in  h.  Sketches  of  tiie  Western 
M'ssions,  which  are  read,  at  this  lis'aM  day. 
with  the  same  interest  that  siirrouiided  them 


nearly  forty  years  apo.  His  niicsion  lasted 
two  mouths  and  resuhed  in  the  .onversion  ot 
600  Flatheads,  and  liiiding  the  Indians  so  well 
disposed  to  receive  the  SVord  of  Life,  he  re- 
turned to  St.  Louis  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
additional  Fathers,  as  he  saw  the  \\ork  before 
them  was  »)ne  of  great  magnitude. 

Father  De  Sniet  accompanied  by  two  other 
Jesuit   Fathers,    accordingly   returned  to  the 
Flatheiid  Indians  iu  1«41,  bringing  with  them 
many  articles  necessary  for  the  establishment 
of  a  permanent  mission,  and  in  a  short  time  he 
had  the  holy  satisfaction  of  beholding  the  em- 
blem of  Christianity    arising  over  the  little 
church   whidi  marked  the  frundation  of  the 
Mission  of  St.  Mnry'sof  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
The  causes   which  led  to  the  presence  of 
Jesuit  missiouaries  among  the  Indians  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  are  of  such  liislorical  inter- 
est that  we  give  them: — A  large  number  if 
Canadians  and  Iroquois  were  employed  by  the 
Comjmnies  trading  among  the  Indians  of  the 
Pacific  Coast,  as  well  as  liy  the  various  exj  e- 
dilionsly  sea  and  by  laud.  That  ofCapt.  limit 
which  started  in  IHll,  had  great  hardships  to 
endure,  and  loss  of  men  to  sutler  hy  desertion, 
in   1H1J>.     Of  llie  number  were  24   Iroquois 
who  ji'ined  the  Flathead  nation.     Tliey  soon 
married  and  had  families.     And  as  the  Can- 
adians were  the  tirst  apostles  among  the  In- 
dians of  the  Pacific  Coast,  so  also  were  the  24 
Iroquois  among  the  Flatheads  ;  speaking  t<) 
them  of  their  religion,  churches,  priests,  and 
festivals.     The  Flatheads  who  were  naturally 
good,  were  pW-ased.     They  sent  a  deputation 
to  St.  Louis  about  1H30.  in  order  lo  ascertain 
about  what  the  Iroquois  related.     Soon  alter 
arriving  the}  took  sick,  called  for  the  priest, 
were  baptized. and  expired  kissiug  the  crucifix. 
The  nation  sent  another  deputation  of  one  Iro- 
quois, in  1832  ;  he  arrived  safely  at  Si.  Louis, 
had  his  children  baptized,  and  was  returning 
home  with  some  hope  of  soon  having  priests 
for  his  countrymen  and  adopted  nation  ;  hut 
he  was  killed  by  the  .Kionx  Imliaiis,      A  third 
deputation  was  sent  in  IHS'J.calling  for  priests. 
This  lime  the  deputation,  consisting  ni  two 
Iroquois,  returning  in  the  fill,  started  witli  the 
fill  hope  that  some  priests  would  bo  sent  on 
the  following  year;  for  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 


HP 


Catholic  Church  in  Orioon. 


4.) 


RosHti,  hnvin);  written  to  the  Superior  t ,  jiieral 
of  the  Jesuits  at  Rome,  beg^iiijyr  him  eHrr.e»<ily 
to  take  chHrge  of  that  inission,  had  received  a 
favorable  reply,  (leiice  the  appointment  of 
Father  I)e  8met,  who  came  in  the  Spring  nf 
184U,pa()fled  two  inonth8amou<:  the  Flatheads, 
baptized  350,  and  went  home,  to  return  in 
1841.  Sueh  is  the  orij^n  of  the  Flathead  mis- 
sion, and  the  apostleship  of  the  Iroquois,  who, 
when  the  pretended  niiasionnries,  Jason  Lee, 
and  others,  presented  lhemselve.H  to  the  Flat- 
lieads  ill  1884,  told  them  :  -'These  are  not  the 
priests  we  have  spoken  to  you  about.  They 
are  not  the  priests  with  long  black  gowns,  who 
have  no  wives,  say  Mass  and  carry  a  crucitix 
with  them."  Rev.  M.  Demers  had  at  last  a 
correspondence  with  Father  Do  Smet,  and 
brought  the  following  letter  with  him  : 
liKTTKR  ov  Rev.  Fathkk  Db  8mkt,  H.  J., 

TO  VKRY  RkV.  F.  N.  BI.ANCHCT,  V.  ti. 

Fork  of  Jefferson  River,  Aug.  10th  1S4(). 
Very  Rev.  Sir: — The  present  which  I  havt-  the 
lioiior  to  write  will  surprineyour  Reverence,  im 
coiiiinK  frimi  one  unknown,  but  in  quality  of  a 
<i>-opeiiiti>r  III  the  Vineyard  of  the  liord*,  ami 
ill  II  so  far  remote  country,  it  fwiiiiot  be  dina- 
^ireeiiiile  to  you.  I  wish  I  <»iild  have  leisure 
to  >;ive  your  Reverence  some  detailuof  iii.v  iiiis- 
>ion  to  the  Rocky  MountainM,  but  Mr.  Bniiite 
who  ii>8o  kind  as  to  carry  my  letter  to  Fort 
<  'olville,  just  ready  to  start,  gives  nie  but  u  fi  w 
laiiiuteM  to  write.  Y«>ur  Reverence  will  then 
learn  that  Mgr.  liusati,  UiHliopof  8t.  Jiouis,  in 
conceit  with  my  pioviiiclul,  superior  of  the 
comoaiiy  In  Missouri,  and  iiictniipliiince  with 
tlie  tn sires  often  niaiiifeste<l  by  the  TcIch  Plalen 
niid  Fend  d'OreUles,  and  a  great  numU-rof  Nez 
l'erce.1,  lias  sent  me  to  the  Rocky  MoiintiiiiiH, 
to  visit  these  nations.  I  have  found  the  two 
tirat  in  the  best  desirable  dispositions,  well  re- 
■^olved  to  stand  by  the  true  cliildivn  of  Jesus 
Clirit-t.  The  few  weeks  I  hiid  the  happiness 
to  pai«  among  tliem,  have  been  the  liappiest 
of  my  IHe,  «"d  give  nie  the  linn  hope,  with 
the  grace  of  God,  to  see  soon  renewed  in  these 
countritw,  m>  long  forsaken,  the  fervor  of  the 
tirst  Christians.  Since  I  am  among  them,  I 
<:ive  three,  four  or  flvj  instructions  a  day;  they 
cannot  be  tired;  all  come  to  my  lodge  at  the 
liwt  rJiigingof  tlieliell;  they  are  anxious  t<>!oae 
1 1  ( >ue  t>f  my  words  relat  i  ng  to  t  hese  I  nst  ructions 
1.11  heavenly  subjects;  and,  had  I  the  strength 
iosp<-ak  to  them,  they  would  willingly  listen 
to  me  w hole davsii lid  nights.  I  baiitixed  alK)ut 
2tX)  of  their  little  children,  and  ex[iect  to  bap- 
tize, in  a  ',hort  time,  15ti  adults. 


Tlie  ohie<'t  of  my  niif>^ion  was  to  visit  agr«\it 
p;iit  «  f  the  Terrili'iy  of  Oivgoii,  mid  niukf  re- 
ports to  my  Bi.«hop  mid  Siijierior,  on  the  favor- 
able places  to  opin  iiili-Hiims.  But  I  have  found 
so  many  g(H>d  dis|M»iithina among  the  Indians 
of  the  plains,  that  I  ha\e  changed  *'.e  plan  of 
my  journey.  I  will  ret  urn  to  St.  Lw.iis  before 
the  winter,  and  will  Ite  back  next  apring  with 
a  caravan  of  missionaries,  who  are  ulieady  pre- 
(mring  themselves.  The  Shonhnnrn  and  Strpentn 
(Snakes)  desire  to  have  an  estal>lisliinent;  thn 
fttei^  Plnteg  and  Fend  d^Oreillex  have  nothing 
more  at  heart.  The  Xfz  Perceg  wenied  to  be 
tired  with  these self-dublie<i  ministeisa  femmef, 
and  pluiwa  very  great  pivdilection  for  Catholic 
priests.  We  willtherefore  haveenough  tooc- 
rupy  ourselves  in  thesi'  mountaii.s  without 
extending  any  further  into  the  land.  I  hoiie, 
tie  vert  helt'ss,  that  befure  the  winter  of  \hV ,  I 
will  have  the  honortopay  a  visit  toyourR*  v- 
ereni-e,  in  order  to  have  the  aid  «»f  your  coun- 
sels, and  work  in  concert  to  gain  these  poor 
nations  to  Je^us  Christ.  Please  present  my 
rehjKH'ts  to  Rev.  M.  Demers. 

I  have  the  houor  to  be,  &o. 

P.  h\  DE  BMET,  S.  J.,  MlhSIONER. 


(PL'BLISHKD   Jl'NE  27tH    1878.) 

MissioMARY  Labors  in  1841 

AT  Vancodver,  Falls  of  the  Willamette, 

Clackamas  and  Cascades. 

fHK  two  missionaries  had  been  separated 
nearly  four  months  and  a  half,  since  last 
fall.  The  place  of  their  reunion  was  Fort 
Vancouver.  Rev.  M.  Demeis  leaving  Cowlitc 
on  March  3rd,  reached  Vancouver  on  the  6th, 
and  began  at  that  place  a  mission  of  26  days, 
with  the  usual  daily  exercises,  in  the  morning, 
afternooD  and  eveuingr  and  returned  home  on 
April  3rd,  the  eve  of  Palm  Sunday,  aAer  an 
absence  of  31  days. 

There  were  three  Indian  tribes  which  had 
been  gained  to  Methodism  for  over  a  year,  viz: 
those  of  the  Clackamas,  Willamette  Falls  and 
Cascades.  The  two  missioBaries  had  been  too 
busy  to  visit  them  before.  A  door  was  opened 
to  them  this  year  in  the  following  manner :  A 
chief  of  the  Clackamas  tribe,  called  Pohpoh, 
went  to  St.  Panl  in  Febrnary  ;  he  saw  there 
the  orphan  boys  in  charge  of  the  Catholic  mis- 


46 


Historical  Skctchm  or  the 


»ion,  some  Indiiin  familicft  «nd  other  persons, 
niiinbering  over  15.  lie  assUled  at  the  daily 
exercises  and  explanation  of  the  Catholic  hul 
der.  He  was  a  MelhodisJ,  and  the  Corypheiis 
of  the  sect,  but  on  lookin-r  at  the  Laddvr  and 
seeing  the  crooked  road  of  Protestantism  made 
by  men  in  the  16th  century,  he  at  once  abjured 
Methodism,  to  embrace  the  straijtht  road  made 
by  JcHUS  Christ;  and  returning  home  he  invited 
tlie  missionary  to  visit  his  tribe. 

The  vicar  general  was  pleased  with  the  invit- 
ation.    He  left  St.   Paul  on   March   llth,  to 
meet  Father  Demers  at  Vancouver,  ami  he  stop- 
ped on  his  way  at  the   W'lpiito  Luke,  which  is 
oidy  a  few  miles  below  the  Clackaujas  river, 
where  the  Indiausof  the  Clackamas  tribe  .v»re 
assembled  to  dig  the  Waputo  root,  (a  kind  of 
potatoe)  on  the  right  shore  nf  the  Willamette. 
He  was  received  by  chief  /'oh  poh.  and  jrave 
the  tribe  a  mission  of  4  days,  with  ilio  usiml  ex- 
ercises atid  theexplanntiouof  the  Catholif  Lnil- 
der,  &c.     Mass  was  celebrated  on  >S  itidny  1  4lh 
and  following  days.     That  great  celebration 
was  astonishing  to  them.     AUriDiigli  they  had 
been  for  tv.o  years  under  the  teaching  of  Hro. 
Perkins,  .ill  the  fall  of  1840,  and  under  that 
of  Bro.  Waller  since  then,  they  listened  to  the 
missionary  for  four  days  with  pl.iisnre.     The 
fruits  of  the  mission  were  the  Imptirim  of  11 
children,  and  an  ndult  in  diingcr  i>f  death.      It 
was  also  the  beginninj;  of  their  altaixldnuient 
of  Methodism.     He  reached  Vancouver  on  ilie 
15th.     On  returning  from  thence,  .March  24th, 
he  (mve  them  two  other  days,  celebrated  J'ass 
onUie-iSth,  oaplizedan  adult,  the  wife  of  chief 
Wexamits  in  danger  of  death  on  the  •26th,  and 
reached  St.  Paul  on  Saturday  'iTlh,  after  an 
absence  of  17  days.     Chief  Poh  poh  returned 
to  St.  Paul  ill  April,  in  order  to  learn  more, 
and  streu.;theu  liis  faith.     He  relurued  after 
8  days  lieutre  with  a  lAidder,  a  red  flag,  bear- 
ing a  cross,  to  be  hoisted  on  Sunday.     He  was 
overjoyed. 

One  of  the  items  sent  to  Quebec,  Canada, 
was:  "From  March  1840  to  March  1841,  were 
I  erformed:  bnplicms  510  ;  marriages  1*2  ;  bur- 
i:  Is  11;  communions  60  ;  one  al  juration  at  St. 
l'«ul.  Of  the  .ilO  baptisms  26:i  were  made  by 
i'  0  vicar  general  at  Nisqiially  «i  d  Vlii.U.y  I-- 
laud;  lli4  by  Father  Demers  at  Chinook,  Ciiw- 


litz  and  Colville  misHons  :  the  rest,  \\:\,  M 
Vancouver  and  St.  Paul.  Of  the  510  baptisms, 
about  410  were  Indians.  100  whites,  and  40 

adults." 

The  Willamcitc  Fall  Indian  village  was  on 
the  west  bank  l»elow  the  fall;  its  chief  was  We- 
BaviHi.     The  lime  to  visit  having  arrived,  the 
vicar  general  left  St.  Paul,  after  the  celcbra- 
lion  of  Faster,  and  arrived  there  on  April  21»tli. 
On  his  arrival,  he  made  known  to  the  chief 
the  object  of  his  visit.     The  prouil  chief  an- 
Rweretl:  "Hegone!  Away,  away  with  you:  we 
don't  want  yon."     Such  a  rough  reception  did 
not  discourage  the  missionary.    He  soon  learn- 
ed that  the  chief  had  been  very  much  oHendcd 
because  il.e  Clackamas  tribe  had  been  vis^ited 
before  his  own.     On  explanation  he  bicame 
calmer,  and,  at  last,  secnn-d  sntisfi;  ■        Then 
li.gaii  a  mission  of  7  da       of  hard  work  ;  the 
n.issionarv  being  obliged  to   run    every   day 
after  ihesc  lazy  Indians,  to  bring  them  ti>  liis 
tent,  and  assist  at  the  several  exercises,     'the 
h(dy  Mass  was  cchbralod  on  the  IJrd  day,  a 
Sunday,  and  the  following  days.     The  sight  of 
the  altar,  vestments,  sacred  ves.sels,  ami  great 
ceremonies  were  drawing  their  attention  mucli 
more  than  the  cold,  unavailable  and  lay  service 
of  Bro.  Waller.     There  seemed  to  be  more  at- 
tenticm  given  to  the  ringing  of  the  bell,  and  she 
mission  exercises.     The  missionary  had  at  last 
the  concolalion  to  see  the  poor  Indians  make 
the  sign  of  the  cro.ss,  say  the  offering  of  the 
heart,  name  the  7  medicines   (sacraments), 
8ing  a  short  pravr  before  and  after  meals,  and 
also  the  ("biiiook  hymns.     11   children  were 
baptized,  and  0  families  out  of  10  had  been 
rescued  front  Bro.  Waller.     On  the  4th  day  of 
the  mission  arrive<l  Poh  poh  with  some  of  his 
people.     He  complained  very  much  that  when 
his  flag  was  hoisted  on  Sunday,  Mr.  Waller 
pulled  it  down,  to  the  great  displeasure  even  of 
those  of  his  own  sect.     On  aniither  day  there 
came  some  Indians  from  Clatsop.      On  seeing 
the  allur,  ornaments  and  vestnient.s,  they  saitl  : 
"i>lr.  Frost  is  far  from  showinjru.s  such  linugs. 
That  same  day  an  Indian  reported  that  Keiin- 
*»)(..  chief  of  the  Indians  beh>\v  Vancouver,  said 
to  his  people:  "Fidiow  ihe  jriest  if  you  like, 
Vr  niv.'>elf.  I  am  too  lad,  1  an  unable  to  change. 


1  will  die  the  same. 


Catholic  Church  in  Oukook. 


47 


(PCBI.ISHED  JULY    4tII   1878.) 

AriiiTiONAL  Incidents  in  1840. 

ypfllE  fiillowin^  iiu'idt'iitH  showiiijit  tlie  dispo- 
\.  siti'iiis  of  the  Indians  nre  worthy  of  heiiip; 
nu'nlioiifjl.  A  «S'wo/jo»jwA  cliiof  came  to  Cow- 
litz ill  the  fall,  to  8ee  tlie  |>rie««t  Hn<l  tell  hiin 
hnt  the  timber  for  h  Ikmisb  of  prayer,  recoin- 
Miendud  by  the  hhich-ginon,  had  been  prepared 
:iiid  was  retidy  for  erection.  lie  caine  to  have 
!i  priest  to  direr-t  tlie  work.  He  wftii  iiiiich  dis- 
a|ipointed  in  beinj^  obli^red  to  relurn  home  a- 
j.iiie.  Ilarki'ly,  a  chief  from  Yakima,  came 
down  to  S'  f'jinl  in  tlie  fall,  with  his  family 
and  Homr  ,  i  '>eople.  Alter  three  weeks  of 
iiistructioii  •  ;  itnrned  home  with  a  pair  of 
lu'ads,  a  cross  some  pictures  and  a  Catholic 
Lndder,  and  used  to  explain  it  to  his  people  on 
Siiiulays.  A  chief  from  ( )kana<:^an  sent  word 
i<>  St.  Paul,  asking  what  to  do;  that  he  was 
ready  to  come  down  with  his  people  next  spring, 
if  so  n'comnieuded.  A  Priest's  Rapids  chief, 
on  the  Coliunbia,  came  down  to  St.  Paul  in  the 
liiU,  with  liis  wife,  three  children  and  a  brothor- 
iu-law.  lie  passed  the  winter  there,  ;rot  in- 
structed, learned  his  prayers,  and  was  baptized 
under  the  name  of  Joseph,  with  his  family. 
Father  Demers  jiave  a  uiissiiui  of  nine  days  to 
the  Okaiuj^ran  Indians,  on  returninjr  from  Col- 
ville.  On  November  20lh,  1840,  he  blessed 
and  occupied  :i  new  house  at  Cowlitz.  From 
that  date,  the  lop  chapel  ceased  to  be  his  lodg- 
ing place.  It  was  made  more  decent  by  ceil- 
ing the  sanctuary  with  mats  and  orDamcnting 
the  allar  table  with  vases. 

Various  Missions  in  1841. 
From  his  mission  at  Willamette  Falls,  the 
\  icar  general  went,  <m  May  6th,  to  the  Clack- 
iunas  irilh*,  which  he  had  already  visiTed  in 
Marcli  at  the  J I  opa'o  L:tke.  The  iisuai  ex- 
ercises were  continued  at  the  ringing  of  the 
bell  for  nine  days.  Bro.  Waller  came  and 
called  hiui  an  iitruder.  His  Evuitgelicdl  Lad- 
der was  liroiight  near  the  (Jatholic  one;  the  In- 
dians prououuced  themselves  in  favor  of  the 


latter  ;  twelve  lodge.s  were  gained.  I'x-in^'  ob- 
liged to  return  to  St.  Paul  on  the  loih,  Kev. 
M.  Detners,  from  Vancouver,  came  tu  repiacj; 
him.  He  continued  the  missicui  for  two  weeks, 
giving  some  days  to  the  Willamette  tribe  and 
the  rest  to  that  of  the  Clackuiuas.  It  was  on 
that  occasion  that  Wemmun,  the  Corypheiis 
of  Bro.  Waller  was  gained  over. 

From  the  Clackamas,  Rev.  Father  Deiners 
returned  to  Vancouver,  to  attend  the  Hrigades 
of  the  North  and  South,  after  which  he  went 
home  to  teach  catechism.  And  as  the  Colville 
mission  was  being  omitted  this  year,  because 
Father  lie  Smet  being  expecteil  to  conu;  down 
that  way.  anil  it  had  been  resolved  that  Rev. 
.M.  Deincrs  woidd  go  this  year  to  the  Sound, 
he  started  on  August  11th.  went  to  Nisqually 
and  thence  to  the  bay.  He  visited  many  tribes 
besides  those  seen  by  the  vicar  general;  lie  tra\  - 
elled  from  one  nation  to  another,  acconipanied 
by  chief  Tsliilnknm  and  many  other  great  chiefs. 
His  traveling  was  a  triumphal  one,  surrounded 
sometimes  by  COO  and  at  other  times  by  3,000 
Indians,  who,  hostile  to  each  other,  were  now 
peaceable  in  presence  of  the  hUtck-gown.  He 
often  pas.«ed  whole  days  in  teaching,  with  a 
Ijiidder  10  by  2k  feet,  the.se  poor  Indians  so 
desirous  of  heavenly  things,  and  continuing 
li-«e  at  night  to  sing,  to  pray  and  hear  the  har- 
angues of  the  chiefs  repeating  what  they  had 
learned.  It  was  a  beautiful  and  consoling  spec- 
tacle to  see  tribes  who  had  never  seen  the  black- 
gown,  able  to  bless  themselves,  sing  and  pray 
around  the  Luddcr,  when  the  priest  was  giving 
the  hand  to  new  comers.  From  the  bay  he// 
passed  to  Fort  Laugley,  on  tlie  Frastx  river.A 
There  were  new  triiiiuphs  among  the  Cowit- 
ehans.  There  ended  his  mission,  and  on  Sep- 
tember 24th,  he  was  at  home,  having  made 
765  baptisms,  and  beer  44  days  absent. 

In  the  beginning  of  June,  Commodore  Wilkes 
left  Vancouver  on  a  visit  to  the  Willamette 
valley,  and  took  dinner  with  the  vicar  general 
at  his  residence  in  St.  Paul.  He  told  him  that 
on  seeing  a  eross  ou  Whidby  island,  he  called 
it  the  Cross  Island.  The  vicar  general  having 
promised  Father  Demers  that  he  would  visit 
Cowlitz  during  his  absence,  started  Aug.  14th, 
for  that  place.  Ou  returning,  September  Ist 
he  gave  a  mission  of  14  days  at  Vancouver. 


48 


Historical  Sketches  or  the 


It  was  OH  that  occasion  that  commodore  Wilkes 
assisted,  with  several  officers  of  his  staff*  and 
Dr.  McLaughlin,  at  high  Mass  and  vespers  on 
a  Sunday.  It  was  a  solemn  day.  The  follow- 
ing Sunday,  though  the  commodore  was  absent, 
the  ceremony  was  not  less  solemn.  A  house 
(J2  by  25  feet  was  raised  in  March,  at  St.  Paul, 
to  serve  as  a  hal!  for  the  people  oa  Sunday  and 
a  lodging  for  the  priest. 

The  next  mission  to  be  made  was  that  of  the 
Cascade  tribe  which  had  never  been  visited  by 
the  hfack-gown.  Tatnnkoon,  its  chief,  had  al- 
ready been  a  convert  since  1831),  at  tlie  sight 
and  explanation  of  the  Catholic  Ladder.  He 
had  met  many  times,  the  assaults  and  cffcjrls 
of  the  Methodist  preachers,  but  all  in  vain;  he 
remained  unmoved.  He  was  glad  to  see  leplete 
arrive  on  September  I7ili.  His  tribe  num- 
bered from  loO  to  200  souls.  The  daily  ex- 
ercises of  Mass,  &c.,  began  and  were  wniiiu- 
ued  for  10  days,  and  the  jioor  Indimis,  in  part, 
began  to  sing,  to  bless  themselves  and  to  pray. 
Tamakoon  received  a  bell  and  n  Ladder  to  be 
used  on  Sunday.  He  was  nbic  to  speak  on  it 
fur  several  hours;  .'54  <hil       n  were  baptized. 

From  the  Cascado^  the  viciir  general  passed 
to  the  Clackamas,  on  Noveu»ber  80th.  That 
was  his  third  visit  it  lasted  13  days  with  the 
usual  exercises.  A  high  cross  was  blessed  and 
erected  on  October  "id.  Bro.  Waller,  hearing 
that  the  Indians  were  willing  to  build  a  chapel, 
came  and  made  a  noise  ;  all  had  left  him  save 
a  few.  Eleven  cliildren  were  liMplizcd  ;  in  all 
41,  with  30  beiore.  The  vinir  gcnenil  left 
them  on  October  12lh  for  St.  Paul. 

Theiicjir  general  left  St.  Paul  for  Cowlitz 
on  Noveuiber  15th.  Meeting  at  Vancouver 
Sir  George  Simpson,  who  desired  to  visit  the 
('anadian  settlement,  he  returned  home  with 
him.  Sir  George  assisted  at  high  Mass  and 
vesper*  nu  Sunday,  and  seemed  to  have  been 
pleaseil  with  vvlmt  lie  litid  seen  there  and  at 
Viiiicouver.  He  becauie  convinced  at  lastof  the 
necessity  of  granting  passaire  for  new  priests 
and  other  assistants.  Starting  again  the  vicar 
general  reached  (Jowlilz  on  December  Ist:  lift 
it  on  the  7th;  arrived  at  Vnncouveron  the  lOth, 
and  at  ("lackanias  village  on  the  IHth  ;  went 

tiinr«vHt  lhi>  font  ftf  the  cross  .vitli  the  Tmli'irw 

•      r  •    ■.  - 

uud  the  chiefs  :  left  them  well  pleasjd.     Ai  liiu 


river  was  much  swollen  by  the  heavy  and 
nnnsnal  rains,  he  met  great  dangers  at  Rock 
Island,  above  the  falls.  He  being  on  shore  to 
lighten  the  canoe,  the  canoe  capsized,  and  eight 
persons  were  struggling  in  the  water  ;  all  were 
saved  as  by  a  miracle.  The  vicar  general 
reached  home  on  December  23d  ;  but  left  for 
Vancouver  on  the  27th,  to  attend  the  funeral 
services  of  Mr.  Kitson,  who  having  come  to 
Vancouver  in  1840,  made  his  abjuration  and 
received  holy  communion  and  the  other  sacra- 
ments, had  died  happy.  The  vicar  general 
retiu-ned  home  on  New  Year's  eve. 


(published   JULY    1 IXH    1878.) 

I^CIDE^TS  IN  1841. 

P  EV.  Father  P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J.,  returned 
j|_^-  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  the  spring  of 
1M41,  with  the  Rev.  Fathers  Meugarini  and 
Point,  and  founded  St.  Mary's  mission  among 
the  Flatheads.  The  Cowlitz  settlement  had 
the  happiness  to  possess  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment in  its  little  chapel  from  January  6th. 
Harkely^  the  Yakima  chief,  who  visited  St. 
Paul  hist  fall,  arrived  at  Cowlitz  on  January 
25th,  with  some  Indians  from  Okanagan,  and 
a  son  of  the  Spokane  <hief,  called  La  grosse 
Tete,  the  Coryphens  of  Bro.  Kells.  ten  in  all. 
They  had  come  by  the  way  of  Nisqually,  and 
hence  through  the  long  portage.  They  had 
been  siripiedoftheir  blankets  and  ordered  back 
bytheCluhalis,towliich  they  refused  to  accede. 
The  son  of  />»  grosxe  Tfte  had  left  his  home  in 
spiteof  hisfailier  tobecomea  Catholic.  They 
came  to  get  instructed.  They  went  home  via 
Vancoii*  er  and  the  Columbia.  The  little  chief 
di»  Chaudiirei  (Cnliille)  was  an  n[>ostle  n- 
niong  his  people,  wiih  the  Catholic  Ladderin 
his  hnnds  since  the  departure  of  the  priest. 

Missionary  Labors  in  1842. 

The  two  missionaries  met  again  this  year, 
at  Viinco'.ivcr,  af^er  a  separation  of  8^  niouihs. 
Rev.  M.  Dt-mers  came  first  in  three  r'ay*  of 
Liai  wiatlier,  und  arrived  on  February  23rd. 


Catholic  Chuhcu  in  Oukqon. 


49 


He  begnn  a  mission  of  27  days,  with  the  usual 
forenoon,  afternoon,  and  evening  exercises; 
rifter  wliieb,  louvin;;  on  Monday  of  Holy  Week, 
;ind  ox|)eri«iicin';.'  three  other  days  of  very  bad 
wpalher,  he  reHched  home  after  au  absence  of 
'52  days. 

The  vicar  fr*'neral  came  later  to  meet  hi? 
dear  companion,  and  arrived  on  Tuesday  of 
I'assion  Week,  March  loth;  and  star.ing  on 
Tiiursday  of  the,  leame  week,  and  experiencing 
Imd  weather  also,  he  reached  St.  Paul  on  Sat- 
urday, the  eve  <>l'  Palm  Simday. 

One  of  the  items  he  sent  to  Quebec,  Canada, 
was:  from  March  1841  to  March  18-12,  were 
performed  ;  baptisms,  yG5  ;  ni'irriaa^es.  1 2  ; bur- 
ials, 21  ;  communions,  115.  Of  the  U65  bap- 
tisms, 765  were  made  on  Pnget  Sound,  all  lu- 
"lians.  save  15  Whites  at  Fort  Langley,  09  at 
the  Clackamas,  Willamette  Fall  and  Cascade 
■lission,  70  at  Vancouver,  24  at  the  Cowlitz, 
and  S7  at  St.  Paul. 

Having  given  the  great  festival  of  Easter  and 
ihrce  weeks  of  the  Passover  time  to  the  faith- 
ful of  St.  Paul,  the  vicar  general  pave  his  first 
outside  missionary  labors  to  his  dear  Indians 
uf  ilie  Willamette  Fall.  Arriving  there  on  A- 
|iril  20lh,  and  notwithstanding  the  cold  recept- 
i'>ti  he  received,  he  began  his  missionary  labors 
wliicli  lie  continued  for  15  days.  The  poor  In- 
ilians  were  very  indolent ;  the  ringing  of  (he 
liell  drew  a  few  of  theni  in  lb  j  beginnin;r;  ihey 
lirtd  forgollen  all  they  had  learned  before. 
Having  r.o  time  to  g<»  and  visit  the  t'lackuniHS 
Indians,  on  the  pre.seut  occasion,  they  were  in- 
\  ited  t(»  couie  to  the  Fall  ;  several  of  ihcm 
came,  liy  persevering  in  his  efforts  he  began 
Id  gain  tlu'ir  confidence,  and  they  became  more 
^iKentive.  lie  made  6  baptisms,  including  2 
adults  in  danger  of  death.  The  reason  of  their 
apathy  was  the  distraction  in  wiiicli  lliey  were 
involved  by  the  immii>ralii)n  of  the  whiles  ;  15 
laniilies  of  them  had  crossed  the  Clackamas 
liver  durinjr  his  mission  at  that  place,  in  Nov. 
1H4I.  And,  as  the  Willamette  Fall  was  au 
aitnteiive  place,  many  of  tlieui  began  to  settle 
ttuTi'.  ileiHx  ihediiiigcr  for  the  poor  Indians. 
The  fiMiiis  of  liie  mission  were  not  so  consol- 
ing as  formerly. 

I)ri   Miiv  4.(h.  tlm  vu'ttr   (rcmprul    want    r»..«n 

the  Willamette  Fall  to  Vancouver  to  receive  8 


cases  which  had  arrived  from  London ;  and 
from  thence  returned  to  St.  Paul  for  the  feasts 
of  Pentecost,  and  Corpus  Christi,  falling  on 
May  26th.  Dr.  McLaughlin  paying  a  visit  to 
St.  Paul  at  that  time,  assisted  at  high  Mass 
and  procession,  with  much  edification;  having 
visited  the  whole  colony,  he  encouraged  the  set" 
tiers  to  continue  and  went  home  much  satisfied. 

Arrival  of  Father  De  Smet,  S.J. 

Rev.  M.  Demers  returned  to  Vancouver  in 
the  middle  of  May,  to  attend  to  the  wants  of 
that  mission  and  those  of  the  Brigades  of  the 
North  and  South.  He  had  been  there  but  a 
few  weeks,  when  Father  De  Smet  arrived  at 
Vancouver  from  Colville,  which  he  reached  in 
the  early  Spring.  In  crossing  a  rapid  below 
Colville  his  boat  was  capsized,  but  he  reached 
the  shore  in  safety,  sufiering  only  from  the  loss 
of  his  baggage.  Re  v.  M .  Demers  brought  him 
to  St.  Paul ;  he  spent  8  days  with  the  vicar 
general,  sung  high  Mass  on  Sunday,  addressed 
words  of  exhortation  to  the  congregation,  and 
expressed  himself  much  pleased  with  the  sol- 
emnity of  the  Mass  and  vespers  services,  es- 
pecially with  the  singing.  Of  the  Catholic 
Ladder  he  said:  '"That  plan  will  be  adopted  by 
the  missions  of  the  whole  world."  Here  he 
returned  to  Vancouver  with  Father  Demers  ; 
the  vicar  general  soon  rejoined  them  to  deliber- 
ate on  the  interests  of  the  great  mission  of  the 
Pacific  Coast. 

The  missions  to  be  attended  (his  year  (1842) 
were  those  of  Chiucok  Point,  Vancouver,  Cas- 
cades, Clackamas,  Willamette  Fall,  and  the 
Sound,  whose  tribes  were  so  famished  for  heav- 
enly things:  witness  their  running  after  the 
hhick-ffown  in  1840  and  1841,  and  their  re- 
peated calls  for  a  priest  ever  since.  The  name 
of  another  mission  was  presented  to  the  coun- 
cil, that  of  New  Caledonia,  now  British  Col- 
umbia, which  was  threatened  to  be  visited  by 
the  Presbyterians  of  Walla  Walla. 

All  things  being  considered,  the  resolve  was 
that  the  New  Caledonia  mission  should  l>e  at- 
tended before  alt,  and  that  Father  De  Smet 
should  start  for  St.  Louis  and  Belgium  to  bring 

temporal  and  pin-soual  efTicient  means.     Re\'". 

*•      !■» .;..  .    I         .  1       .1       I 

ui.    i^cutoiB    av,i.<rpiiii^    iieniiiiy    tne    lOUg    aud 

hard  luissioa  of  New  Caledonia,  prepared  him- 


Historical  Sketches  of  tiik 


self  for  the  journey  and  to  winter  there.  The 
two  missionaries  started  with  the  Brigades  of 
the  Porfeurs  on  June  29th,  and  separated  from 
each  otlier  at  VVaUa  Walla.  The  vicar  gen- 
eral left  alone  to  administer  to  the  wants  of  the 
extensive  mission,  returned  soon  to  St.  Paul,  to 
teach  catechism  for  the  first  communion,  which 
he  put  off  after  the  harvest  for  new  instruction. 

The  Cowlitz  mission  which  had  lost  its  be- 
loved missionary,  needed  to  be  consoled.  The 
vicar  general  left  8t.  Paul  on  Au^nist  12th, 
passed  a  few  days  at  Vancouver  and  retiched 
Cowlitz  on  the  18th.  He  remaineil  there  20 
days,  teaching  the  white  women  and  children 
for  the  first  communion.  The  Indians  had 
al,><o  a  share  of  his  time.  He  baptized  ten  of 
their  children.  In  the  mid.it  of  his  occupation 
he  heard  that  a  woman  was  sick  at  Nisquaily, 
Mild  had  but  a  few  days  to  live.  Leaving  at  4 
p.  m.  on  Friday  with  a  guide,  and  traveling  a 
distance  of  25  leagues,  he  readied  the  house  of 
the  jioor  sick  woman  on  the  following  day  at 
(5  p  m.  :  gave  her  the  coiisolatioii.s  of  religion, 
Imptized  her  child,  passed  the  night  there,  and 
ive.it  to  the  fort  to  hear  the  coufessioim  of  the 
men,  and  starling  on  Sunday  at  4  p.  m.  he 
reached  Cowlitz  on  Monday  at  6  p.  m.  The 
I'hiirch  raised  on  June  17lh  1H40,  was  not  yet 
finished  for  want  of  lumber. 

On  leaving  Cowlitz,  Sept.  (Jth.  and  reaching 
St.  Vi-A  on  the  lOtii,  after  an  ab.ience  of  ."{O 
days,  he  was  accompanied  by  the  great  .Snoiio- 
mish  chief  Sehahipaheu,  wjio  had  foiiglii  (he 
Khtlams  in  1810,  and  came  out  victorious, 
.«aid  he,  by  virtue  of  his  beads  and  Catholic 
Ladder.  He  had  come  to  Cowlitz  tivice  la.st 
spring,  and  had  accompanied  Father  Demers  to 
Vancouver  in  May,  expecting  he  would  bring 
him  to  the  Bay,  and  when  he  saw  him  goiu" 
elsewhere,  ancl  was  obliged  to  return  home  a- 
lo'ie,  he  went  away  with  a  stricken  heart.  It 
wa.s  the  third  time  he  iiad  come  to  be  itislruct- 
eil  and  iiaptized.  He  was  much  plea.«ed  to  see 
the  churches  and  services  on  fjnndav  in  Van- 
couver and  St.  Paul.     On  arriving  there,  the 

vi'.'i'.r  geneni!  rec'iinwe >d  ibc  cntechi.^iii  for 

the  first  communion. 

Tiu-  ITtii  of  Scpiemlier  wa.'^  a  djiy  of  great 
r.;;"icii;g  for  the  vic.ir  yener.il  in  rcceiviuL'  ami 
embracing  his  ilear  new  confreres,  Rims.  A. 


Langlois  and  J.  B.  Z.  Bolduc.  arriving  from 
Canada.  They  had  liecn  overaycnron  ilicir 
journey  :  for  having  left  Boston  oii  Aug.  KHh. 
doubled  Cape  Horn  on  Dec.  4th.  ami  iuikIumI 
at  Valparaiso,  Gambier  Islands,  Tiihiii  and 
Honolulu,  they  crossed  the  Columbia  river  iuir 
(Ui  Sept.  12lh.  When  the  bi.shop  of  (Quebec 
was  refused  a  piis.sage  in  the  canoes  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  Ci  uipatiy  for  ollu  ■  priests  for 
Oregon,  lie  sent  them  by  sea.  Sir  (ieo.  Simp- 
son avowed  to  the  vicar  general  in  1«41.  tlint 
Mr.  Beaver,  the  ex-chaplain,  was  the  cause  of 
the  refusal.  The  fidlowing  Sundiiy,  a  hii;li 
Mass  Wi;s  celebrated  with  deacon  and  siib- 
deacon.  fur  the  first  time  in  Uregon,  and  fol- 
h>wed  by  tiie  Te  Dtim.  On  Sunday  St'iil.  ,SOlli. 
took  place,  with  great  solemnity,  the  first  c(mi- 
munidii  of  those  prepare<l. 

The  faithful  at  Vancover  were  complaining 
of  not  being  well  attended  ;  time  was  Wiinlini; 
to  the  missionaries.  Now  that  their  iiiinib(  r 
was  increased,  they  would  have  a  betu  r  si, me 
Therefire  the  viciir  general  leaving  St  I'mil 
in  charge  of  Father  Bolduc,  started  wiili  Fr. 
Langlois  and  reached  the  mission  on  Oct.  7iii. 
The  instruction  of  the  ladies  of  the  fort  wiis 
given  to  Fr.  Langlois  ;  the  vicar  general  kept 
for  himself  that  of  the  women  and  children  of 
the  village.  After  three  weeks  of  daily  leach- 
ing, seven  ladies  of  the  fort  and  two  women  of 
the  \  illage  were  found  able  to  make  their  first 
communion, which  look  place  on  Sunday  Oct. 
30lli,f(irthe  first  'ime  in  Vancouver,  with  grcnt 
solemnity  be*' 
being  dour  ■ 
Paul,  iind  \ 
those  niissii  i 
at  Fori  Van*  • 

attended  the  mission  at  Vancouver,  foUowed 
Father  Bolduc,  who  completed  his  instruction 
and  baptized  him. 


large  congregation.     This 

I         Langlois  was  sent   to  St. 

.<d<luc  to  Cowlitz,  to  attend 

e  vicar  general  remaining 

ver.     Chief  Selialajxtlifn  who 


(PCBLISHKU  JL'L*^    iHtll     1878.) 

IJX  H  K  Cascades  and  Clackamas  tribes  had  not 

I        been  visited  for  ovpr  nii<>  vi>i>r        Tl,,,..  1,..,| 

lieen  exposed  all  the  while  to  the  seduction  of 


Catholic  Chukch  in  Oregon. 


51 


I.e  prenchers  telling  ihoni:  "The  priests  have 
orsaken  you."     They  did  uot  need  l'^  months 
u>  forget  what  they  had  learned  in  a  fev  weeks. 
iNeverthdcss,    their    visiting  the   hlack-gown 
roni  time  to  time  was  a  proof  of  their  lovin" 
l"'n  still.     As  to  the  Clackamas,  it  was  \,». 
possible  to  pay  them  a  visit.     The  Cascade  I.i- 
«l!aus   had  a  better  chance,  as  their  movio- 
yearly,  m  October,  on  the  left  shore  of  the  Co" 
l;i!»bia,  nearly  opposite  Vancouver,  broii-rht 
them  near  to  the  priest.     Therefore  the  vicar 
general  divi.ling  his  time  between  the  women 
<.f  the  village  and  those  Indians,  gave  the  for- 
mer  the  forenoon,  and  the  latter  the  afternoon 
for  several  weeks.     This  met  with  many  dif- 
hcnities,  such  as  the  crossing  of  the  river,  the 
.livision  of  the  tribe  into  two  camps,  afar  from 
each  other   and  the  ice  of  the  upper  Columbia 
covering  the  river.     Nevertheless  he  had  the 
consolation  of  m.  .ing  15  baptisms.     Another 
great  consolation  he  met  on  Nov.  ISlh.    was 
iliat  of  receiving  the  profession  of  faith  of 
governor  McLaughlin  to  (he  Catholic  faith,  as 
ivlal6d  elsewhere.     He  made  his  first  commii- 
inon  at  midnight  high  Mass,  at  the  head  of  38 
c'.inmiiiucants.     The  office  bad  never  been  so 
M.lemu  as  to  chant,  music  and  decoration,  as  on 
<  Iiat  night.     The  nnmber  of  first  communions 
nm<le  in  the  Fall  was :  13  at  Vanco"vcr,  7  at 
St.  Paul  and  4  at  Cowlitz.     Thus  ended  1842 


Missionary  Labors  in  1843. 
After  a  residence  of  three  months  and  a  half 
the  vicar  general  left  Vancouver  for  St    Paul' 
on  Jan.   18th,  1843.     When  »„  his  way  he 
stopped  to  get  a  paddle,  he  also  baptized  a  dy- 
Hig  child.     Father  Langlois,  availing  himself 
of  the  presence  of  the  vicar  general,  started  on 
Jan.  30tli  for  Cowlitz,  to  see  his  traveiin-'  com- 
F.amon.     He  was  three  weeks  on  his  journey 
On  retnni.ng  he  met  a  heavy  rain,  and  the 
liigh  flood  of  Feb.  13fh,  which  exposed  iiim  to 
irreat  suffering  and  dangers. 

Chief  P'actor  Do.iglas,  being  on  his  way  to 
tiMiDd  VictoriH,  on  the  south  end  of  Vancouver 
r.lau.i.  siMiied  with  an  expedition  of  22  men 
ind  invitp.l  Fnlher  Bolduc  to  accompany  him' 
I  laving  the  conseiit_of  ihe  vicar  general  he  left 
•  >'.v.!!z  ::::  .M:;r;:!i  "ili,  nlih  i he  expedition  for 
N  Ls-iually,  where  iho  steamer  Benver  was  wait- 


ing.    Leaving  on  the  13tli,  she  reached  her 
destination  on  the  14lh.  where  Father  BoMuc 
met  a  large  number  of  Indians.     On  Sunday 
the  19th,  he  celebrated  Mass  in  a  repository, 
before  ihe  men  and  over  1200  Indians,  and 
baptized  102  children.     And  giving  up  his  de- 
sign of  going  farther  north,  he  bought  a  lar^e 
canoe    crossed  the  bay  in  two  days,  reached 
Whidby  on  the  2oih,  and  fixed  his  tent  near 
the  cross  erected  in  1840.     The  Skaml,  and 
other  tribes  received  him  with  open  arms. 
I  hey  built  him  a  honse  28  by  25  feet      He 
faught  them  during  8  days,  baptized  173  chil- 
dren,  and  leaving  on  April  3rd,  he  got  home 
on  the  6ih,  after  an  absence  of  31  days      In 
sending  his  report  he  begged  to  be  allowed  to 
go  and  found  that  mission. 

The  vicar  general  left  St.  Paul  for  Vancou- 
ver on  Ma  nh  13ih,  and  bought  a  lot  for  «225 
al  \\  illamette  Fall  to  build  a  chapel  for  the 
Indians.     One  of  the  items  sent  to  Canada 
was:  from  March  1842  to  March  1843,  were 

l^efJl^  *"•  P*'"'"*'  ^^  "'arriages,  26  burials. 
Ut  688  baptisms,  447  were  made  in  New  Cal- 
edonia, 98  at  St.  Paul,  86  at  Vancouver,  and 
o7  at  Cowlitz.  By  a  recapitulation  from  1838 
were  made  2,C66  baptisms,  148  marriages,  86 
bur^ls.  1  he  vicar  general  left  Vanconve"  for 
A  •  "«"' ''"""g  Passion  week  and  returned  on 
April  18th,  the  eve  of  Palm  Sunday. 

Rev.  Fr.  Demers  was  not  expected  to  have 
any  chance  to  come  back  before  the  return  of  ^ 
the  Brigade  of  the  North.     It  was  therefore 
with  Ihe  greatest  surprise  that  on  entering  his 
room,  on  Holy  Thursday  evening,  April  13th 
the  vicar  general  met  him  there.     Sweet  and  / 
moving  was  the  embrace  after  a  separation  of, 
nearly  nine  m.mths  and  a  half.     Leaving  Van-/ 
con ver  June  29th,  1842,  he  reached  Ft.  Thomp] 
8..U  Aug.  10th,  Fort  Alexander,  on  the  Fraseii 
River,  Aug.  23rd.  Fort  Stuart,  on  Stuart  Lake  ' 
300  leagues  from  Vancouver,  the  residence  o| 
Chief  Factor  Ogden,  the  commander  of  tha 
Brigade,  on  Sept,  1 6th.     He  celebrated  a  hieW 
Mass  there  on  the  18th.     Returning  home,  h^ 
reached  I-ort  Alexander,  September  24th,  had' 
a  chapel  built  by  the  Indians,  celebrated  Mass  \ 
in  It  Deo.  4th,  and  took  his  Ind.rjna^  jq  jt  q^  \ 
Jan   3rd,  1843.     He  learned  two  languages,   1 
translated   the   hymns  and  prayers   in  their 


62 


Historical  Sketche*  or  thk 


idioms,  and  taught  them  to  the  Indinns :  and 
left  them  able  to  pray,  sing,  and  explain  the 
Catholic  Ladder.  Hard  was  their  separation. 
Availing  himself  of  the  invitation  of  Chief 
Factor  Ogden,  he  started  with  him  on  horse 
back,  in  three  or  four  feet  of  snow,  on  Feb. 
21  St,  from  Fort  Alexander;  reached  Fort 
Thompson  March  Ist,  passed  13  days  at  O- 
kanagan,  starving,  and  waiting  for  a  boat; 
came  hence  on  horseback  along  the  Columbia 
to  Snake  River ;  hence  by  boat  to  Walla  Walla 
and  Vancouver,  44  days  from  Fort  Thompson. 
In  going  and  coming  he  had  encountered  many 
trials,  dangers  and  fatigues,  sometimes  ex- 
treme. The  vicar  general  preached  on  Good 
Friday,  and  Father  Denier^  ou  Kaster  Suudav, 
April  16th.  "^ 

Father  Boldnc,  arriving  from  Cowlitz  on 
April  lyth,  left  for  St.  Paul  with  Fr.  Demers, 
wl  o  preached  there  on  Sunday,  the  "iard,  and 
re  urning  to  Vancouver,  they  both  started  for 
Cowlitz  on  April  "iTth,  to  prepare  tliemst'Kes 
for  the  mission  of  Whidby.  On  May  lOih, 
they  were  on  their  way  to  Nisqnally  with  2  men 
Hud  11  horses,  7  of  them  with  packages;  they 
reached  Whidby  on  May  25tli,  1843. 

Father  Langlois  being  put  in  charge  of  Cow- 
liiz,  Vancouver,  Cascades,  Willamette  Fall, 
and  Clackamas  Indians;  left  St.  Paul  May 
1 7th,  for  his  post.  He  succeeilL-d  to  UuiMli  his 
church  erected  in  Cowliti  in  1840  ;  and  be^raii 
to  celebrate  Mas-s  in  it  on  Pentecost  Sun(r«y, 
June  4th,  1843.  He  visited  several  time*  ll.e 
Indians  of  the  mountains,  living  ou  the  route 
to  Nisqually.  From  Cowlitz  he  came  to  Van- 
couver in  the  '  j.'ini.ing  of  June  to  attend  the 
Brigades  of  the  North  and  South.  He  went  to 
the  Cascades  in  thebt'jrinningof  July,aud  gave 
a  mission  of  8  days  to  the  Indians  of  that  pTace. 
Pa.«sing  hence  to  tlie  Willamette  Fall  and  the 
Clackamas  tribes,  he  spent  !»everal  weeks  a- 
mong  them.  The  plat  .surveyed  in  Dec.  1842, 
at  the  Fitil  had  been  called  Oregon  (Jitv;  it  was 

jrrowinir  rapidly,  to  no  benefit  to  theClack.imas 
and  Willamelle  Full  Indians.  Hence  ihe  little 
witece.is  "ilFiilhcr  Ijii'i^iois,  who  cons>>!  \  liim- 
s"it'  by  the  hope  of  thi;  conversion  rt  \VnUi-v 
Poniero-.-.  ii  (lioiiHr  ,Mr,)(  .hit.  nli>)  built   tlu 

C.ltllCllr.ll   of  (  )f    I,;.!!!    f'ilv    in    I  x  I  "> 

On  reaching  the  (Jlatkamas  Indian  villa^'e, 


Father  Langlois  found  that  the  cross  eroded  in 
1841  had  disappeared.  It  had  beeti  cut  down 
by  order  of  the  Methodist  preacher  Waller,  to 
the  great  sorrow  of  the  Indians.  Yes.  the 
cross  which  shows  the  excess  of  the  love  of  tl.«? 
Son  of  God  for  man — the  cross  by  w  liich  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Blessed  Redeemer,  redeemed  ti.e 
world — the  cross  made  known  from  those  of 
the  two  thieves  by  a  mira  —the  cross  shown 
to  Constantine,  in  the  sky,  with  the  words:  "7m 
hoc  sigrto  vivces" — the  cross  which  couverted 
the  whole  world  from  paganism,  and  which  is 
a  terror  to  the  devils — the  cross,  whose  sign 
shall  appear  on  the  last  day  :  that  cross  is  a 
scandal  to  the  Mi-thodist  minister  Waller ;  he 
has  it  in  horror,  as  the  devils,  he  caimot  bear 
the  sight  of  it;  he  ordcn  ,1  it  to  be  cut  down, 
and  pretended  to  teach  the  poor  Indians  Chn'gt 

crvrified,  without  showing  them  a  cross  ! ! ! 

Great  God  !  What  subversion  of  ideas  and 
judgment  in  the  sect!  What  destruction  cf 
saving  doctrine!  What  turning  upside  down 
of  ♦•ommon  good  sense  and  true  religion  rathe/ 
nnfortunafely  too  well  typified  by  the  turning 
upside  down  of  a  table  adorning  the  short  bcU 
fry,  (short  faith)  of  the  Methodist  churches! 

The  vicar  general  in  going  to  St.  Paul  to 
fake  the  place  of  Father  Langlois,  taught  cate- 
chi.sm  from  May  1st  to  July  2l8t,  on  which  day 
18  persons  made  their  first  communion.     Kx- 
treniciy  great  was  the  surprise  of  the  vicar 
genernl  when  at  the  end  of  June,  he  saw  Fr. 
Demers  arriving  at  St.  P.iul  from  Whidby, 
which  he  had  left  with  Father  Hoiduc  af^er  one 
monih  of  residi-nce.     That  step  had  not  been 
taken  rashly,  but  on  the  most  weighty  reasons, 
which  the  vicar  L'eneral  approved,  and  which 
it  would  be  too  long  to  explain  here.     Never- 
theless Father  Kolduc  was  onlered  to  go  and 
puss  the  sinnmer  with  diief  Tghihihim  in  order 
to  learn  the  idiom.     Bnt  the  rumors  of  war 
induced  iiini  to  retuni  from  Nisqually.     The 
plan  of  the  Whidby  mission  being  postponed 
till  the  arrival  of  Father  De  Suiet.  in  its  stead 
was  aopoimced  the  opening  of  a  school  at  St. 
Paid  in  ilie  fall.     A  setrond  catechism  class, 
begun  by  the  vicar  g-neral  ai  St.  Paul  after 
the  hiirvest,  was  continued  by  Fr.  Langlois, 
«ii.i  Oil  Octobei'  19th,  reueived  19  persons  t<j 
iliuir  first  communions. 


Catholic  Chlkcii  in  Orkgom. 


58 


Tlie  news  fame  in  Oclober  tliHt  two  other 
Jc?iiit  Falhers,  De  Vos  and  Hockeus,  sent  from 
yi.  Louis  hy  Fr.  13e  Sinef.  had  arrived  for  tlio 
thiihend  nnd  Coeur  d'Aleiie  missioiiK;  they 
hn<l  come  with  h  caravan  of  700  touIs.  Dr. 
MeLanjihlin,  on  a  second  visit  to  St.  Puul,  in 
October,  approached  the  holy  table  on  a  Sun- 
day at  tlie  head  of  a  number  of  the  faithful. 
Ou  his  return  to  Oregon  City,  the  vicar  gen- 
eral accompanied  iiim  and  chose  a  block' for 
the  church.  A  few  weeks  after,  Walter  Pom- 
roy,  whose  wife  was  Irish,  came  to  St.  Paul, 
made  his  profession  of  faiih.  had  his  marriage 
•ilessed,  his  children  baptized,  and  returned 
happy  to  the  Twalatiu  Plains. 

The  nth  of  October  was  a  day  of  great  re- 
joicing at  St.  Paul,  on  account  of  the  solemn 
blessing  of  St.  Joseph's  colh-ge,  after  Mass 
chanted  by  the  vicar  general  before  a  large 
congregation.     On  that  day,  there  entered  as 
boarders,  30  boys,  sons  of  the  farmers,  save 
one  Indian  boy,  the  son  of  a  chief.     Father 
Langlois  was  the  director ;  Mr.  King  principal 
find  teacher  of  English,  and  Mr.  Bilodeau,  as- 
si.stant,  and  teacher  of  French.     Several  rods 
east  of  the  college  was  seen,  in  way  of  erection, 
.1  building  60  by  30  ft.,  for  the  Sisters  expected 
to  arrive  with  Father  De  Smef.     Faithful  to 
his  pn)ini8e  of  sending   assistants,  nmdc  in 
1842,  Sir  George  Simpson  granted  a  passi.ge 
in  the  canoe  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Compdny,  to 
five  men  and  two  women,  who  arrived  with  the 
Brig.ide  ou  Nov.  28th.     Father  Deiners,  after 
attending  Cowlitz  with  Father  Bolduc.  left  it 
to  come  and  remain  in  Vancouver,  which  he 
Itift  ill  the  begiuuing  of  December  to  reiMrn  to 
Cfiwlitz.  and  the  vicar  gdueral,  leaving  Father 
Langlois  in  charge  of  St.  Paul,  reached  Van- 
iouver  Dec.  gist,  to  give  the  f  lithful  of  that 
place  the  festivals  of  midnight  Mass,  Christ- 
mas anil  New  Year.     It  was  during  this  year 
il.iil  Hon.  Peter  II.  Burnett,  (afterwards  .^ov- 
<>nior  of  California)  while  attending  Mass  on 
Christmas  eve,  merely  as  a  spectator,  was  so 
iii>v«,i  l»v  the  »oleinuitynf  tho  service  that  he 
bocaini!  a  most  zealous  convert  to  the  Catholic 
Church.     Tims  ende«l  1813. 


Erection  of  the  Oregon  Mission  into  a 
Vicariate  Apostolic,  December  Ist,  1843. 

Whilst  the  missionaries  of  Oregon  were  do- 
ing their  best  to  promote  the  spiritual  interest 
of  the  mission  confided  to  their  care,  the  bish- 
ops of  Quebec  and  Baltimore,  looking  further 
and  to  a  greater  solid  good,  and  acting  in  con- 
cert, earnestly  recommended  the  Holy  See  to 
erect  their  mission  into  a  Vicariate  Apostolic. 
1  lie  Holy  See   acquiescing  to  their   desires 
erected  said  mission  a  Vicariate  Apostolic  by  a 
brief  of  Dec.  1st,  1848,  and  appointed  the  vi- 
car general  F.  N.  Blanchet  its  vicar  apostolic 
with  the  title  of  Philadelphia.     The  vicargen- 
eral  was  far  from  expecting  such  a  result  so 
soon,  the  notice  of  which  reached  him  only  on 
^GvoInber  4lh,  1844,  to  his  great  surprise  and 
sorrow. 


8SSTO8  xxsir. 

(published  JULY  25th  1878.) 
Missionary  Labors  in  1844. 


•sa? 


N  January  1844,  at  Vancouver,  the  vicar 
general  baptized  10  adults  and  blessed  8 
marriaget'  after  one  month  of  instruction.     As 
the  town  called  Oregon  City  in  1844  contained 
60  houses  and  tvo  Catholic  families,  and  had 
a  good  prospect  of  increasing,  the  vicar  general 
ihought  u  was  time  to  provide  it  with  a  mis- 
sionary     And  as  the  rif:ht  man  was  Father 
Demers,  who  was  at  Cowlitz,  the  vicar  general 
left  V«u«.uver  on  Feb.  19ih,  for  that  mission, 
whicli  he  had  not  visited  for  a  year  and  a  half 
On   bis  way  he  visited  several  Indian  lodges 
baptized  two  children,  one  of  whom  was  very 
sick,  .listnbuted  biscuits  to  those  who  had  been 
baptized  before,  and  thereby  made  them  and 
their  parents  happy.     The  vicar  general  and 
*ather  Demers  left  Cowlitz  on  the  26th,  and 
arrived  at  Oregon  City  on  the  first  of  March 
after  a  painful  journey  of  five  days.     Father 
Demers  ou  his  arrival  took  possession  of  a 
house,  rented  from  Dr.  Newell  at  •  10  a  month 

and  the  vicar  ueueral  retiirnpH  to  Vftn ^ 

on  the  followirg  dajr.     Father  DemenThad ^rw 
rived  at  Oregon  City,  under  strange  circum- 


54 


Hi8Tcr>icAL  Skktches  or  thk 


stances;  Bro.  WhIIcf  having  kit  ill  cr""t 
amoug  his  countrymen  had  left  ior  ^prt3  in- 
known.  March  JJrd,  being  Sumlay.  !. ;  held 
services  before  and  after  noon,  and  feloomtcl 
the  first  Mass  ever  said  in  the  city;  the  chapel 
was  found  too  small  for  the  occasion. 

There  was  a  fight  at  Oregon  City  on  Mon- 
day, March  4th,  between  some  Indians  of  the 
.Molalle  river  and  some  Americans,  in  which  1 
Indian  was  killed  and  2  Americans  wounded. 
They  were  both  sent  to  Vancouver  for  trcat- 
nu'iit,  and  both  died  ;  G.  W.  Le  Breton,  on  the 
7th,  and  theolheron  the  16th.  Le  Breton  had 
become  a  Catholic  at  St.  Paul,  in  1842,  but 
seeing  he  could  not  get  the  girl  he  expected, 
he  withdrew  gradually  from  the  Churdi  and 
apostatized.  During  his  short  sickness,  I  lie 
vicar  general  visited  liiiu  often,  and  used  all  his 
zeal  to  bring  him  back  to  repentance,  but  all 
in  vain  ;  he  die<l  a  Protestant,  and  was  l)uried 
by  chief  Factor  Douglas.  The  tight  was  an 
unfortunate  and  ilisgraceful  affair,  brought  on 
by  the  indiserelioii  of  two  wliite  men. 

The  vicar  general  left  Vancouver  fbrOrogon 
City  and  St.  Paul  on  Marcli  28th.  Having 
settled  some  business  for  St.  Joseph's  college, 
and  the  mission  claim,  which  was  snrveyeil  by 
Jesse  Ai)plegate,  ami  retnrjiing,  reached  Van- 
<!ouver  on  April  3rd.  April  .")'li  bein^  Good 
Friday,  chief  Fai-tor  IJ.iuglas  assisted  at  tlie 
oflice  and  came  down  to  the  adoraiioirof  ,lie 
cross  with  governor  McL'uighlin.  On  retnr.i- 
ing  to  Cowlitz  the  vicar  general  baptize<l  7  In- 
dian children  on  the  (!ulun>l)ia  and  3  on  the 
Cowlit/,  rivers  ;  and  gathering  those  formerly 
baptized,  he  gave  them  biscuits.  He  found 
Fa'her  Bohlnc  in  good  health.  Some  business 
havinj;  been  iilteiided  to,  he  returned  to  Van- 
couviT  on  the  24tli.  Leaving  on  the27ili  for 
St.  Paul  he  saui:  higli  Mass  at  Oregon  City  on 
Sunday  the  28tli.  reaching  St.  Paul  ou  the  fol- 
lowing Tuesday  with  Father  Deiners,  who  after 
visiting  togetlicr  the  mission  saw  and  grist 
mills  and  tlie  Sisters  house  in  course  of  erec- 
tion, returned  home,  while  the  vicar  general  re- 
mained till  June  30tli.  on  business.  Oil  ,^(av 
13ih  he  blessed  and  erecte  1  a  hiich  cross  on  the 
spot   chjsen  tor  the  new  ehnrch  to  be  biiilt  in 

iw(r       r>.>  Qii.,.1....    I.I.,,, 'til,   ii, .>„,.,.„.,...;,,.,  „(• 
-    • -•      "  ••  • .,,,...,.....,,,,,. 

liic  Jilessed  Sacrament  took  plm'c  at  St.  P.iul. 


which  was  made  very  solemn  by  the  college 
pupils  singing  and  performing  figures  before 
he  Blessed  Sacrament,  during  the  proccxsion. 
Father  Demers  went  on  June  10th  to  attend  to 
the  Brigades  in  Vancouver,  which  the  viciir 
general  reached  on  June  22ud  after  an  absence 
of  ."JS  days. 

(^n  July  12th,  the  vicar  general  left  Vancou- 
ver for  Cowli'z  and  arrived  on  Snndav.  1  lib. 
He  said  a  low  Mass.  On  his  return  he  met 
in  the  Columbia  river  the  Knglish  frigate  Ln 
Modenle.  Caf)t.  Baily.  The  captain  being  d... 
siroiis  of  visiting  the  Willamette  valley  left 
Vancouver  with  the  vicar  general,  chief  Factor 
Dongl.is  and  several  officers  of  his  stafffor  St. 
Pani.  They  all  attended  high  Mass  cm  Sun- 
day, July  2l8t,  and  seemed  to  be  very  much 
pleased  to  see  such  a  service.  They  lodged  at 
the  college,  where  there  had  been,  on  J  iily  1 8th. 
an  examination  of  the  pupils  before  a  large  ns- 
Fcmblage,  with  great  '-redit  to  the  teacher's  and 
.scholars.  Leaving  on  Monday  on  a  tour  to  the 
upper  valley,  Vr.  Deiners  accompanied  them. 
Father  Lan<rlois  left  St.  Paul  to  pay  a  visit  to 
the  Jesuit  Fathers  of  the  Rocky  M.  .inlains  on 
July  28ih.  He  returned  on  Sept.  6th.  much 
worn  out  by  a  journey  of  42  days  on  horseback. 
His  feet  were  much  swidlen  for  a  time.  He 
returned  with  Father  Mengarini  on  heiring  of 
the  arrival  (»f  Fr.  I)e  Sniet  by  ,sea.  Fathers 
Josct.  Zerbinaiti  and  Soderini,  three  new  Jes- 
uits, were  sent  from  St.  Louis  to  the  Ilocky 
Mountains  this  year. 

AiiurvAi,  OK  Father  1)k  Smet  by  Sea. 

'I'he  long  expected  return  of  Rev.  Fatlier  I)e 
Smet  came  at  hist.  Leaving  Antwerp.  Bel- 
gium, on  .lannary  9th,  1814,  in  a  sailing  ves- 
sel called  L' Infill i(jiil>le,  he  met  with  <ireat  dan- 
gers at  Cape  Horn,  touched  at  Valpaniiso  and 
Callao,  spent  four  d.iys  outside  the  Coltmd)ia 
b  ir  waitinj:  for  a  pilot,  pas.sed  the  bar  on  July 
Hist,  runniiij:  stiaight  east  throiiLdi  the  smith 
channel,  sinuelliing  never  al tempted  before, 
came  to  a  pass  of  21  fathoms  "f  water,  .-irid  ar- 
rived at  .\storia  in  ilie  evening.  All  who  saw 
the  course  of  the  ship  ijioiighi  tliiit  she  would 
be  AMeekcd,  the  caiJtaiii  and  |  assct)!r,.|-s   C-ar- 


•  i.iivi  i^-i.  L.'iin-i  iirineitat  Van- 


coiiver  in  a  canoe  on  Sunday  the  4i!i,  u\  (J  a,  m. 


Catholic  Church  in  Oregon. 


15 


the  ship  arriving  m  6.  Father  De  Sinet  was 
iici;oinpauio<l  by  fdiir  new  Fathers  ;  Rev.  Fath- 
ers Ravalli,  Accolti,  Nohili  and  Vercniiase ; 
some  hiy  hmthers  and  six  Sisters  of  Notre 
Dame  ofNamiir. 

The  news  of  his  arrival  reaching  the  vicar 
general  at  St,  Paul  on  the  lOlli.  he  was  at  Van- 
ooriver  the  next  day,  aud  ihe  religious  carax  an 
reached  St.  Hani  on  Ihe  17th,  and  t  mk  up  their 
quarters  in  the  college.     On  ?und  ly  the  18lh, 
the  vicar  general  sang  high  Mass  hcfore  an  af- 
fluence of  people  anxious  to  see  the  Sisters  and 
the  new  Fathers.     {)o  the  followin,'  Thursday 
was  sung  a  Mass  of  thanksgiving.     Father  l)e 
Sinet  took  a  land  claim  on  LHke  Ign.ttius,  and 
had  in  a  few  months  a  house  hnilt  on  the  high 
land  near  the  lake,for  there8iden«'eof  his  Patli- 
ers.     Father  De  Sniet  started  on  0<-t.  Cih  for 
the  llocky  Mountains  ;  from  whence  Father  De 
Vos  arrived  at  St.  Paul  on  the  I.Slli,  on  Imrse- 
biick,  bringing  with  hiin  two  lay  bDthers.  The 
Sisters  entered  into  their  convent  on  Oct.  1 9th, 
and  had  a  Mass  celebrated  in  the  inferior  chap- 
el the  next  day;  Fathers  De  Vos  and  Accolti 
filtered  their  new  house  called  St.  Ignatius. 

On  November  4th  two  Briefs  arrived,  dated 
llmic,  Dec.  1st,  1843 ;  one  erecting  the  mis- 
sion of  Oregon  into  a  Vicariate  Apostolic,  and 
'•le  other  appointing  the  vicar  general.  F.  N. 
Hlanchel,  to  the  position,  with  the  title  of /»A»7- 
'idelpliia,  which,  on  representation  to  Rome 
from  Quebec,  was  changed  into  that  of  Drata, 
on  May  7tli  1844.  The  addres.ses  of  his  let- 
ters from  Canada  betraying  his  case,  felicita- 
tions were  tendered  to  the  vicar  general,  but 
he  refused  them  for  sevenil  days.  U  is  consul- 
tation being  answereil.  it  was  u^ieless  to  refuse, 
so  he  gave  his  consent  on  the  8th.  aud  made  a 
resoh'.tion  to  go  to  Canada  to  receive  his  epis- 
copal consecration  from  the  archbishop  of 
Quebec,  and  hence  to  go  and  visit  Rome. 

Father  Demers  was  appointed  vicar  genera! 
and  adniiiiistraiur  of  die  vicariate  apostolic  du- 
ring the  absence  of  the  bishop  elect,  by  letters 
'>f  Nov.  2'>tli.  A  inHiifl.'tfe  was  issued,  and  ou 
Dec.  5th  I8H.  the  bishop  elect  crossed  the  bar 
on  board  the  bark  Columhiu,  Capt.  Dincan,  en 
route  for  Canada,  via  England.  Th;  Belgian 
imrk  L'In/atigatiie.  was  detained  by  contrary 
winds  until  the  fullowin;  day. 


(PtBMSHEt>  AIGC8T  IST    1878.) 

Fight  at  Oregon  City,  March  4th  1844. 

Extract  fb'     the  Missionary  Rkport  ok  thb 

Vicar  Gem  .ial  in  1844,  on  thb  Occasion. 

'^»'|?|7K  arrived  from  Cowlitz  to  the  Willa- 
**     'n«'«*e  f«H  on  March  2nd,  after  a  pain- 
ful journey  of  5  days.     After  having  installed 
the  pasior  of  Oregon  City  into  his  house  I  re- 
t'lrned  to  Vancouver.     I  soon  learned  what  a 
crowd  assisted  at  Ihe  Ma.«8  and  Vespers  of  the 
first  Stinday,  March  3rd.     The  evil  one  did  not 
allow  the  missionary  to  enjoy  long  this  fine 
oufhet,  for  the  following  day  human  blood  be- 
gun to  stream  in  a  fight  in  which  an  Indian  in- 
.stantly  succumbed  and  two  Americans  were 
woimded.     Alas  !  what  a  misfortune  !     What 
shall  be  the  consequences  ?     And  for  wiiat  that 
broil  ?     For  false  reports.     One  Klickatat  In- 
dian had  been  killed,  he,  his  tvi  ^  wives  and  a 
baptized  child,  on  the  upper  Clackamas  river. 
Some  one  falsely  accused  the  chief  of  the  Mo- 
liillc  river  Indians  of  the  crime.     A  most  cer- 
tain repf»rl,  even  among  the  Indians,  was  that 
the  massacre  had  been  committed  by  2 slaves 
whom  their  master  had  maltreated  too  much, 
and  who  had  been  seen  relurnirig  to  their  land 
with  the  booty  of  their  master.    Dr.  White  who 
gave  credit  to  the  first  report,  had  promised  a 
reward  of  $100  for  the  apprehension  of  said 
chief,  living  or  dead.     The  chief  of  the  MolaJIe 
did  not  ignore  what  had  happened.     Conscious 
of  his  innocence,  but  well  armed,  he  had  come 
to  the  town  accompanied  by  four  men.     He 
crossed  over  to  the  Indian  side.     During  that 
time  there  came  the  question  to  apprehend  him. 
Dr,  McLaughlin's  store  clerk  remarked:  'That 
Indian  is  a  good  man.  you  should  not  molest 
him  :  if  yon  do,  you  will  repent !'     No  matter 
the  Dr.'s  secretary  (Le  Breton)  and  a  mulatto 
persisted  and.  on  liis  return,  asked  him  to  sur- 
render. He  refuses;  ihey  insist;  he  defends  him- 
self; Ihe  rnvsUtto  is  ordered  to  shoot,  the  shot 
sta'      the  Indian  is  wounded;  he  rushes  on  hi* 
asfgiessors,  w  iio  rnn  away.     He  was  nearlv 
overtaking  the  secretary,  who,  turning,  seized 
the  miiizle  of  the  pistol  with  his  right  br.ud 


5e 


Historical  Sketcuks  of  the 


the  shot  starts,  enters  and  passes  throu^^h  liis 
arm  ;  the  liidiiin  staggers  hikI  falls,  and  the  mu- 
latto finishes  him  with  the  butt  end  of  his  gun. 
The  four  other  1  iidians  begin  to  shoot  with  guns 
and  arrows;  Ainerienns  come  at  the  noise  and 
return  fire,  but  without  catching  them,  and 
having  two  men  wounded.  The  first,  Le  Bre- 
ton, died  in  three  days.  There  were  found 
two  balls  in  his  elbow  and  the  wad  further. 
The  second  died  12  days  after  frotn  the  shot  of 
an  arrow  in  the  left  arm.  The  Hhaft  had  been 
immediately  drawn  away,  but  the  iron  remain- 
ed, which  could  not  be  extracted  butafter death. 
Both  died  in  dreadful  sufif'eriugs.  It  is  prob- 
able that  they  were  poisoned.  The  last  was 
but  a  spectator;  the  greater  pari  of  the  Amer- 
icans did  not  know  what  was  the  matter. 

Letter  of  Rev.  M.  Demers  to  the 

Vicar  General. 

Oregon  City,  Mnrtli  6th,  1844. 
Very  Rev.  Sir : — I  did  not  suffi-r  myself  to 
be  intimidated  by  the  affray  of  the  other  day. 
I  heard  the  mr.sket  shots  closely  succeeding, 
but  I  made  light  of  them,  till  I  saw  men  run- 
ning backward  and  forward  in  the  ^Ireots, load- 
ing their  pistols  and  carbines.  1  asked  what 
it  was?  "An  Indian  fight,"  was  the  answer. 
Le  Breton  has  r<  ^ived  two  arrows,  one  in  the 
arm  and  the  othci  in  the  thi^'h,  I  think.  There 
was  such  a  confusion  tiiat  2.5  Indians,  as  brave 
and  determined  as  they  were,  could  have  killed 
all  the  Peltiers.  The  Indians  on  the  other  side 
say  that  the  deceased  had  come  to  have  a  talk 
with  the  whites,  in  order  to  disculpate  himself 
from  the  charge  ina<le  against  him.  The  mu- 
latto, Winslow,  on  seeing  him,  said  :  "that  is 
the  man  who  would  kill  him,"  and  for  whose 
capture  Dr.  White  had  promised  a  reward  of 
$100,  which  Le  Breton  had  gained.  I  saw 
the  poor  Indian;  he  was  still  breathing.  But, 
O  barbarity  !  the  mulatto  who  said  it  was  he 
who  pierced  his  hat  with  a  bullet,  did  pierce 
him  after  he  >vhs  dead  :  and,  in  the  morning, 
hi-  hoad  \vh:-  foiitid  split  and  entirely  separated 
above  the  forehe.id,  and  the  brains  still  clung  to 
the  ax«>  which  had  been  the  instrument  of  such 
aavag'i  tT'ielly.  Hoirendum  est/  In  aaolher 
letter  of  Marcii  7ih,  to  the  same,  Fr.  Demers 
adds:  "The  settlers  seem  to  acknowledge  they 


have  h«'en  loo  quick  in  this  iinf-irtniuite  afl'air. 
but  the  unlucky  deed  is  over  ;  it  is  a  real  mur- 
der, based  upon  the  extremely  rash  and  incon- 
siderate conduct,  and  the  unjustifiable  action 
of  poor  Le  Breton  who  will  pay  dearly  f«»r  his 
apostasy  and  crime." 

— o — 
The  merit  and  glory  of  an  historian  is  to  be  a 
true  and  faithful  narralor  of  facts.  If  he  iails 
in  this,  his  veracity  will  be  doubted  in  the  most 
impcrtniit  points.  This  being  so,  what  shall 
be  thought  of  the  History  of  Oregon  by  V/.  H. 
Gray,  when  all  will  learn  how  shanieftdly  ho 
has  distiirted  and  falsified  the  facts  concerning 
the  fight  of  March  4lh.  For  it  is  false  that  the 
Indians  of  the  vicinity  of  Oregon  City  made  an 
attack  on  the  town.  It  was  by  no  means  an 
attack  ;  not  one  of  the  Clackamas,  nor  of  the 
Willamette  fall,  but  five  of  the  Molalles  oniv 
took  part  in  the  fight  It  is  false  that  the  In- 
dians commenced  the  fight.  It  is  false  that  thr 
chief  was  placed  under  guard  and  was  killed 
when  attempting  to  escape.  It  is  false  that  the 
Indians  made  an  attempt  to  destroy  the  peo}  le 
and  town  at  Willamette  fall.  It  is  false  that 
there  was  any  need  to  stir  up  the  whole  coun- 
try, to  organize  t"or  defense,  as  all  the  Indian 
tribes  were  never  so  peaceable  as  they  were 
then,  liavii'.g  oo  reason  lt»  molest  any  one,  as 
their  fisheries,  hunting  places  and  camas  prai- 
ries had  not  yet  been  taken  away  from  them. 
It  is  false  that  the  Company  had  any  thing  to 
fear  from  tlie  Indians;  if  the  fort  was  repaired, 
bastions  built,  and  all  other  protective  and  de- 
fensive measures  were  completed,  it  was  to  de- 
fend itself  against  another  kind  of  savageness. 


(PL'BLISHRU  AUGUST  8tII    1 878. ) 

Missionary  Labors  in  1845  anc  1846. 
'jm  HEN  the  bishop  elect  left  for  Canada  in 
Xl  I  )ccrmbcr  1 844.  the  mi.^si.mary  stat ions 
were  attended  -a  follows:  Cowlitz  by  Rev.  A. 
Langlois.  Fort  Vancouver  by  Father  Nobili, 
Oregon  City  by  Fr  Accolti.  St.  Paul  by  vicar 
general  Uemers,  St.  Joseph's  college  by  Fath- 
er Bolduc,  and  the  Sisters  by  Father  De  Vos. 


Catholic  CHUitcii  ix  Okkgon. 


«7 


Aicor<lin;r  «,  tlie  best  onlf-ulinioii,  ilie  Imlimi 
poj)ulHti<.ii  111  iliHt  time  numbered  110,000,  of 
which  <; .000  were  Cliristians ;  Hboiit  half  of 
iliem  beiii;:  at  the  Rocky  MoiinfaiiiH  utid  the 
reinaiinler  in  the  lower  [)««  of  Orej-on.     The 
white  Catholi*!  popnlation  was  about  1,000,  of 
vvliieh  600  were  in  the  Willaiuelte  valley.  100 
iit  Vancouver,  100  at  Cowlitz,  anil  the  rest  in 
I  lie  various  trailing  posts.     The  Jesuit  Fathers 
hacl  four  missions  at  tho  Kncky  Mountains  in 
IMo,  viz  :  St.  Mary.  St.  Josofh,  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Michael;  the  Coeur  d'Aleine  was  one  of 
them. 

By  a  letter  from  administrator  Dem"rs,  dat- 
ed Oct.  «lh,  1845,  and  other  notes,  the  bishop 
elect  learned  the  following :  Father  Nobili  had 
left  in  J(me  with  tho  Brigade  of  the  North  for 
New  Caledonia,  Father  De  Smet  visited  lower 
Oregon  at  the  end  of  .lime,  FaMier  l)e  Vos  had 
the  care  of  Oregon  City  and  Fort  Vancouver, 
and  Father  Accolti  was  chaplain  of  the  Sisters 
at  St.  Paul.     The  priest  house  was  finished  at 
Oregon  City,  and  the  church  much  advanced. 
Tlic  church  built  by  Father  Vercruis.se  at  La 
Oraiide  Prairie  wa.s  soon  to  be  blessed  and  o- 
licned  for  divine  service.     Father  Ravalli  had 
li-ti  fur  the  Rocky  Mountains.     Sixty  thousand 
luicks  had  been  burnt  for  the  new  church  at 
St.  Paul.     St.  Joseph's  college,  containing  28 
boarders,  being  too  small,  had  been  enlarged 
with  a  second  story  by  its  principal,  Father 
Holdiic.     The  good  religious  of  Noire  Dame 
de  Nainiir  were  overburdened  with  occupations 
in  the  care  and  teaching  of  42  little  girls,  and  a 
chapel,  mea.Miriiig  80  by  30  feet,  was  in  course 
of  construction  for  them. 

The  church  at  ( )rejron  City  was  blessed  and 
opened  for  divine  serx  ice  on  Septuagesima  Sun- 
day, Feb.  8lli,  1H4(!,  in  presence" of  a  large 
concourse  of  Proieslants.  From  that  date  the 
church  i.«  full  on  Sundays,  a  number  of  people 
attending  service  through  being  desirous  of 
seeing  the  impre.ssive  ceremonies  of  our  church 
and  hear  the  explanatiun  of  its  dogmas.  'J'he 
coruer-'loite  of  Si.  PhiiI's  brick  ciiurch  was 
blessed  hy  vicar  general  Demers  on  May  24th, 
1 8 16,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  and  opened 
for  divine  service  (HI  Nov.  1st  of  themimo  v.j;.>>, 
ll  was  the  Hrst  brick  building  ever  erected  in 
the  country,  measuring  lUO  feet  by  45,  with 


wiiigii  or  chapels  of  20  "cet ;  v»  belfrv  showmg 
the  sign  of  onr  redemption  84  feet' from  the 
ground.     At  Vancouver  in  1845,  chief  factor 
I^ouglas  having  desired  the  erection  of  a  Cath- 
olic church,  one  was  ]  ut    up  and   shingled. 
Governor  McLaughlin  nas  preparing  to  leave 
the  Hudson  Bay  Co  ,  am!  retire  to  Oregon  City. 
"I  was  forgetting  to  say  a  word  or  two  abcnit 
the  political  state  of  the  country,'  says  vicar 
general  Demers;  'a  provisory  government  had 
been  established,  Mr.  George    Aberncthy  is 
governor,  the  Hudson  Bay  Co.  joins  in  with 
the  provisory  government;  Vancouver,  Cowliis 
and  Nisqunlly  form  a  district  of  which  chief 
factor  Douglas  :s  the  judge  in  chief.     This  vin- 
dicates and  proves  to  be  false  the  charges  for- 
merly made  that  said  company  was  opposed 
to  a  provisory  government,    if  the  Hudson  Bay 
Co.  o|. posed  the  establishment  of  a  provisory 
government  in  1841,  no  one  could  wonder  or 
blame  it,  as  commodore  Wilkes  himself  was 
opposed  to  it,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  pre- 
mature. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  foregoing,  we  wish  to 
correct  a  great  mistake  made  in  a  lecture  by  an 
eminent  judge,  saying  of  Very  Rev.  F.  N.  Blan- 
chet  and  Rev.  M.  Demers;  "they  were  subjects 
of  Great  Britain,  and  their  influence  and  teach- 
ing among  the  people  was  na*  irally  in  favor 
of  the  authority  and  interest  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Co.     They  disconniged  llio  early  attempts  at 
the  formation  of  a  settlers'  government  in  the 
country."     All  this  is  entirely  inaccurate;  their 
being  British  subjects  had  nothing  to  do  with 
their  teaching,  uor  would  naturally  lead  them 
"to  teach  their  people  in  favor  of  the  authority 
and  interest  of  a  fur  company."     A  higher 
sense  of  feeling  than  this  was  their  rule  ;  they 
had  a  conscience  and  a  faith.     Nor  did  they 
ever  discourage  the  early  attempts  of  a  settlers' 
government,  either  within  or  outside  of  their 
churches.     When,  during  the  meeting  in  June 
1841,  vicar  general  Blancl.et  gave  his  opinion 
that  it  was  too  soon,  that, as  commodore  Wilke.s 
was  expected  here,  the  committee  should  wait 
for  his  opinion.     That  step  was  by  no  means 
an  act  of  opposition,  but  on  the  contrary  an  act 
v..  f/.  ..■i„u..v., ..  •••i.ia  tiiL  v^uiiiuiuuuic  upprovea  ot 
at  St.  Paul  on  June  llh,  on  the  ground  that  the 
country  was  loo  young.     And  also  on  a  later 


li.'^^rfp 


58 


Historical  SKrrcREa  of  thk 


occasion,  when  he  bejiped  that  his  nflme  he 
erased  from  those  of  the  romniiltce,  that  was 
clone  iu  no  sense  of  opposition  but  for  want  of 
time.  In  a  word,  let  all  coniprt-hcnd  that  the 
two  Catholic  missionaries  understood  too  well 
the  delicacy  of  their  position  in  this  new  and 
unsettled  country,  to  commit  such  imprudent 
blunders. 

The  ('atholic  Church  was  projrressinjr  at  Or- 
efion  City  under  the  teachinjj  of  Fatlier  De  Vos, 
whose  sermons  were  toucliin*;.  On  July  15 1st 
he  received  the  profession  of  faith  of  Dr.  Long 
and  wife,  and  Miss  Cason.  In  1846  the  fol- 
lowing became  converts,  viz  :  Hon.P  H.  Burn- 
ett, June  7th  ;  Miss  Walter  Roarers,  Aug.  3rfl ; 
Maria  E.  McLaughlin,  (Mrs.  widow  Hae,)Oct. 
4tli ;  and  in  1847,  Fendell  Car  Cason,  Feb.  28; 
and  W.  Wood,  aged  77  years,  March  7th. 
ISt.  Paul  had  also  its  converts  in  the  persons 
of  Mr.  Johnson,  and  a  learned  <loctor  and  his 
wife,  who  were  very  edifyiiijr-  No  one  dared 
to  ask  the  doctor  why  he  had  returned  to  his 
ancestors'  religion.  Three  or  four  tliousuiid 
immigrants  are  expected  this  year.  The  good 
Dr.  Long  had  the  misfortune  to  get  (howned 
while  crossing  the  Clnckanins  river  on  hor.-^c- 
back,  ten  or  eleven  months  after  his  convers- 
ion. His  remains  were  buried  in  the  enclosure 
of  the  church  of  Oregon  City,  by  Fr.  De  Vos, 
ill  the  beginning  of  June  or  July  1846. 

CONDITION  OF  THE  MISSION  AT  THE  KND  Of  1811. 

A  deputation  of  Indians  came  down  from 
New  Caledonia  to  Vancouver  in  184-1,  to  call 
for  .1  missionary.  The  number  of  priests  not 
})ermitling  their  petition  to  be  granti'd,  they 
returned  home  sorrowful.  Father  l)e  Siiiet 
having  bnniglit  some  priests,  Father  Nobili 
started  in  1845  for  New  Caledonia.  In  IH4I> 
another  Father  went  to  assist  him;  returning, 
they  canu'  back  in  the  spring  of  1847.  .Mostly 
all  the  Indian  tribes  of  New  Caledonia  had 
been  instructed  and  baptized. 

At  the  end  of  1844.  after  six  yci^rs  of  efforts, 
disproporlioned  with  llio  needs  of  the  eonnlry, 
the  vast  mission  of  Oregon,  on  the  eve  of  its 
being  erected  into  a  vii'iiriate  apostoljf.  hti.l 
uained  neariyall  liiu  Indian  irihvsnf  tliu.Soiiiid. 
of  New  Caledonia,  and  several  i>«   the  lln-kv 


6,000  pagans  into  the  faith.  Nine  missions 
had  been  founded  :  five  in  lower  Oregon,  and 
four  at  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Eleven  cliurchcs 
and  chapels  had  been  erected  :  five  in  lowt  r 
Oregon,  two  in  New  Caledonia,  and  four  at  tin- 
Kocky  Mountains.  One  thousand  Canadians, 
women  and  children,  had  lieen  saved  from  the 
imminent  jeril  of  losing  their  faith.  The 
schemes  of  the  Protestant  ministers  had  been 
fought  and  nearly  annihilated,  especially  at 
Nisqnally.  Vniu-otiver,  Cascades,  Clackamas, 
and  Willamette  fails,  so  that  a  visitor  came  in 
1844  ai.d  disbanded  the  whole  Methodist  mis- 
sion, and  Bohl  its  property.  The  Catholic  mis- 
sion I  ost'cssed  two  educational  estabiishmenls. 
one  for  hoys  and  the  other  for  girls  ;  the  num- 
ber of  its  mii-sionaries  had  been  raised  from 
ei^dit,  (four  secular  and  four  regular  priests), 
to  filteen.  without  speaking  of  the  treasure  lie 
mission  had  in  the  persons  of  I  he  good  religions 
of  Notre  liaine  de  Namur.  Hnch  were  the  ri'- 
riilis  obtaiiic<l  in  spite  of  the  want  ot  mission- 
aries, which  greatly  impaired  all  their  etlorts. 


Mouutains  and  lower  Oregon. 


It  had  brought 


(I'LBMSIIKO  ACOUST  1.5th  1878.) 

Ti!K  IJiSHOp  Elect's  Jolkney  to  Canada, 
Rome,  and  Retukn  to  Oregon. 

fHE  bark  (  ohinibia  sailed  from  Astoria  to 
I  ionohilu  in  20  days.  8he  stayed  there  1 2 
days  «  liich  the  bishop  elect  spent  with  (he  Pic- 
piis  Fathers,  who  had  a  splendid  stone  church 
n.i'Huiritig  150  itet.  a  large  congregation  and  a 
bPHiitifiil  Sunday  service.  The  bark  lenv'  j 
Honolulu  on  Jan.  12th  1845,  doubled  Cape 
Morn  March  ."illi,  and  reached  Deal,  England. 
iMay  22iid.  being  Hve  months  and  eighteen  duys 
from  Astoria.  The  bishop  elect  passed  to  Do- 
ver anil  fri'iii  thence  to  I>ondon,  wheio  he  re- 
mained ten  ilavs,  the  guest  of  Mr.  I'abhc  Maillv, 
|iasH)r  of  the  Freiicli  ciiapel  in  Lonil.ti;.  Em- 
liarkinx  at  Liverpocl  on  Jnuf  4th.  he  ivadied 
lUiston  on  Die  lO'li.  and  Montreal,  Canada,  on 
the  24  h.  A  few  ('ays  after  he  arrived  at  Que- 
bee,  whose  venerable  church  at  that  time  was 
draped  in  inouruiug  on  the  occiision  of  the 


Catholic  Chukcii  in  Okkoox. 


A9 


lMiruin;rofii«  suburb,  Si.  R.)cli,H  mouth  before, 
auil  that  of  Hi.  John  n  few  (Ihvs  previ.naly. 

lieiii;;  unuble  to  receive  his'opiso.pHi  couse- 
•THlioii  ill  Quebec,  tlio  bishop  fleet  <luterniine«l 
lo  receive  it  ill   Monlreal,   w  ilh  bishop  elect 
rriiice,  coniljiitor  of  MontrenI,  the  cereninuv 
Imviuj;  lo  take  place  ou  Jul.  2.*mIi.     The  cou- 
(•ecnititr  was  the  lit.  Rev.  Bishop  of  Montreal. 
Tliore  were  present  on  the  o. insion  five  bish- 
ops liesi.les  the  two  elects,  150  priests,  aO  other 
clerics,  and  hu  iiuinense  crowd  of  the  faithful. 
Canada  had  never  witiies'sed  a  festiv.sl  of  siirli 
!*pleudor  Iwfore.     It  was  in  CanndH  that  the 
bishop  of  Philadelphia,  in  pnrtibua,    learned 
that  Uh  title  had  been  clian;red  into  that  of  Dra- 
sa.  on  May  Tth,  1S44.     After  passing  a  nioiiih 
and  a  half  in  Canada,  the  bii^hop  of  Drasa  left 
for  Boston.  Jidy  I2tli,  readied  Liverpool,  pass- 
edsoniedays  in  Lon<Ioii.  wen'  lliro'  l?ri;rhton, 
Dieppe,   Rouen,  and  reached  Paris  oir.Sept! 
sth,  lakin-r  bis  lodging  at  the  Brothers  of  St. 
Jean  de  Dieii. 

The  bishop  of  Drasa  had  a  great  task  to  per- 
form before  returning  to  his  vicariate  ;  which 
^vlls  to  obtain  from  Rome  some  assistant  bish- 
ops.  to  look  for  new  missionaries  and  new  sis- 
liT-',  and  odiect  funds  to  enable  him  to  buy  the 
requisites  for  his  vicariate,  and  pay  the  freight 
upon  them  and  also  the  passage  of  the  iui.«sion- 
iiries.  A II  this  required  much  time  and  iravel- 
iii;:,  and  going  backward  and  forward.  Ileuce 
it  look  twelve  nionlhs,  from  Oct.  l.S4"i  lo  Oet. 
I  ^4C,  lo  look  for  help  and  funds,  ft.llowid  by 
w.iitiug  nearly  five  months  for  «  ship  in  which 
to  return  home. 

liis  Ist  trip  and  visit  was  lo  B>dginin  in  order 
to  secure  new  Sisters  of  Noire  DiimedeNamiir. 
Oil  his  way  he  passed  ihroiigli  Cambrai,  Dou- 
a>',  Lille,  Gaud,  M alines  and  Brussels.  All 
who  heard  of  his  mission  l>ecame  deeply  inler- 
e<ted  in  it.  His  se(!ond  visit  was  to  Rome. 
Leaving  Paris  on  Dec.  Hth,  he  spent  the  fes^ 
livals  of  Christ  mas  at  Marseilles,  and  reached 
t!ij  holy  city  on  Jan.  5ih,  184lj,  He  soon  ob- 
litiueii  au  uiidieMce  and  was  received  several 
times  by  his  holiness  Pope  Gregory  XVL  The 
>  )nr  monihs  he  prissed  in  the  eternal  city  were 
well  employed.  He  presented  to  the  sacr..d 
cmgrogaliou  of  the  Propaganda  a  memorial  on 
the  cuii.litioii  and  wants  of  bis  vicariate.     He 


\isi»ed  the  four  great  basilicas  and  other  great 
churches  and  mouiinjents.     He  tlesccndeff  into 
the  Catacombs  several  times,  and  obtained  ihe 
relics  of  Sfs.  Jovian,  Severin.  Flavia  and  Vic- 
toria.    Leaving  Rome  ou  the  8lh  of  May  for 
Paris,  he  visited  on  his  way  Leghorn,  Genoa, 
Mari^illes,  Lyons  and  Chalons. .   He  staved 
some  days  at  Avignon  and  a  week  at  Lyons, 
the  guest  o»  the  grand  seminarv.     He  had  been 
allowed  to  address  its  800  seuiiuarists,  three 
of  them  soon  presented  themselves  for  the  mis- 
sion  of  Oregon  ;  they  were  U,  Delojme,  J.  F. 
Jayol  and  V.  Veyret.     He  assisted  on  that  oc- 
casion, May  24th,  to  the  episcopal  consecration 
of  Mgr.  Pavy,  bishop  of  Algiers. 

Having  already  visited  the  priocipHl  towns 
of  Belgium  with  much  success  in  1845,  ihe 
bishop  of  Drasa  directed  his  steps  ibis  year  to- 
wards Prussia.  Bavaria  and  Austria.     Leav- 
nig  Paris  on  June  17th,  he  went  first  to  Liege 
and  assisted,  on  the  iJlsf,  at  the  grand  proces- 
sion of  Corpus  Christi.at  which  were  present 
1 7  bisliops,  a  large  nninber  of  priests  and  an 
immense  religions  crowd.     It  was  the  jubilee 
of  the  VI  ceiiliirv  of  the  festival  which  took  its 
birth  in  the  church  of  St.  Martin.     He  then 
v^^iled  Vcrviers.  A  ix-la-Chapelle,  Cologne, and 
uexl.  desc(  tiding  the  Rhine,  Bonn,  Coblentz, 
Mayence,  Frnntfort  and  AchaflTenbourg;  after 
which  passing  through  Wiirzbiirg  ami  Dona- 
vert,  he  reached  M  unicli  where  he  spent  8  days, 
the  gnest  of  ibe  barefooted  Fathers  of  St.  Au- 
gustine.    Descending  the  Danube,  he  next  vis- 
ited  Passau,  Lintz  and  Vienna,  where  he  re- 
mained three  weeks,  the  guest  of  the  Redemp- 
lorist  Fathers.     On  reluming  he  visited  Augs- 
burg and  Mrasbiirg,  where  he  remained  a  week, 
Ibe  guest  of  its  illustrious  bishop.     On  August 
2l8t,  he  was  again  in  Paris,  the  guest  of  the 
seminary  of  foreign  missions. 

It  WHS  on  his  return  to  Paris  that  he  learned 
his  vicariate  had  been  erected,  by  briefs  dated 
July  24ih,  1846,  into  au  ecclesiastical  prov- 
ince, with  the  three  sees  of  Oresou  City.  Wal- 
la Walla  and  Vancouver  Island.  The  vicar 
apostolic  was  called  to  the  metropolis  of  Or- 
eg<.n  City,  Rev.  A.  M.  A.  Blunchet,  canrm  of 

tlia    M/\nt«.«tol   /.ut  liA«]..nl     «.>  «U..«    ^1*11*-    ti      ...-    .    - 
. ^ w...  ...,,.,  mm   ot     l«  nilM   *♦  lij- 

la,  and  vicar  general  Demers  to  that  of  Van- 
couver Island. 


-wm'Aiweu    "^ 


60 


HiaroRiuAi.  Skctchu  or  tiik 


Til  r'le  course  of  his  long;  nmiids.  lliu  biMiop 
of  I  "-aca  met  ov«'rywhere  with  the  warm  sym- 
pati;  .if  lumcios,  Hrchbishopd,  bishops,  pnators 
of  cliiirclit>H,  and  the  hi^hewt  authority  of  each 
Plate,  lie  was  receiviMl  in  audience  by  their 
majesties  tlie  kinji;  and  queeu  of  Belgium  ;  by 
hi-^  majesty  he  kiiij;  of  Mavaria  ;  by  their  iui- 
jtf.  '  iiiH)t.4ties  thp  enii)eror  and  empress 
iito*!i  "-  ttni)  his  hi<!lines8  the  archdulte  Ixxiii* 
ol  .'\ mna;  and  three  times  by  his  maji-iy 
I.o  II  s  i'hi'i|'i  e,  kin*;  of  France. 

l"li«  ■=ynipaihie8  of  king  Loiiig  Philippe  for 
the  area!  lu  <»i<'ri  of  Oregon  prompted  hiii  o 
graiM  a  fiff  jDittsAge  ?  •  the  archbishop  and  fiis 
iiii.siouar  .'  mpanionfl  nn  il.e  vesseUof  'tie 
royal  na%'y;  hnt  this  favor  becoraiiijr  imposHi.tle 
by  utiexpecti  i  cii  nntt*tHnc*'!i,  he  ordered  thirir 
ex' ellencies,  ^i^  luiEoi.  minister  of  the  i"le- 
rior,  and  Mr.  .Vlnkaii.  minister  of  the  inHriiie. 
to  pay  each  7,200  fiHtics,  a«  an  imlemni.v  tur 
tlie  expense  the  dt'  might  put  him  .o.  fUis 
added  to  the  3,000  irancs  the  kii;:  '>  nl  aln-aiiy 
given  him,  on  his  return  from  ihc  hast.  m«il<' 
the  flue  round  sum  of  17,80  t  fn>iicw  received 
from  the  government.  God  bh-  t^u  Belle 
France  for  such  a  gift  ! 

The  passage  on  th*'  ^oxernmen  vt-.-^sr!  fail- 
ing, the  C>ceanie  MariiiiMC  S«»cieiy  came  tor- 
ward,  oifering  a  passage  iu  Octn'i.  r  :  but  that 
also  failing,  three  Belgian  vessids  ,  red  them- 
selves, but  wei«  found  too  small  to  ac^oiniuit- 
dale  22  passengers.  The  Oceanic  .MHriiimi? 
Society  then  hough  a  vessel  which  wh*  ex- 
pected to  start  at  the  v  vl  of  l)t-cember.  On 
learning  that,  the  archbisthop  »vciit  to  Namiir. 
returning  with  the  Sisterit  to  Paris  on  Dec. 
22nd  ;  but  thnl  \vii»*  a  month  ttio  soon,  as  ttte 
vessel  was  not  ready  at  that  time.  The  mis- 
sionaries had  al?io  the  trouble  of  coming  sev- 
eral hmes  to  Paris  for  departure,  nnd  were 
oblige*'  '  »  return  elsewhere  to  save  town  ex- 
|>ense8.  At  last,  ilie  ves«^l  h  -ving  Havre  for 
Brest  on  Jan.  '.Mb  1847,  tht^  iirclibiHhop  aud 
missionaries  left  Paris  on  ,1  niwry  20th,  and 
re.;.  ;u=i{  Brest  r,n  ihe  iSnX .  '  the  vett.tel  had 
uoi  yet  completed  her  cargf  It  is  !  ut  just  to 
meution  here  that  the  I<c<  line  t^ociety  o 
Vi<"".tlie  directors  of  tin  ;  *d  iu  I)  l^juni 

.•iirI  ■        (ce,  and  the  Royal  M^-ssaj  rie.s  iruvcn 
(Ji.-'iir!_    s.-lieil  luurkofthcii        m  tihies  i;i  lavur 


of  Ihe  Oregon  mis»iioni  Ihe  first  in  icinlering 
4,  iK>  6orinB  :  the  second  hy  nuitini;  ili  arch- 
bishop and  sisters,  with  thi  >  liaggag.  .  «  free 
paM  on  ihe  railroad  from  N  .mur  t<.  P»rf-  and 
'he  Um  mi  allowing  perci  m  and  Iw-rg  -a*  I' 
pass  tit  half  fare  from  Piins  to  Hreni 

Tlie  hark  was  blesse*]  and  called      /  Elo 
'a  Malm"  (The  Morning  Star)   by    h.   iirth- 
tii.Hhop.  on  Feb.  Viid,  :n  presence  of  a  ieli'_'ioi»st 
«*rowd.     The  wind  being  favorabe,  all  .<  -til  uti 
iNtardr.v,  rhc  10lh;bnt  il.  ■  f(ill<>wingda\  ^  -ing 
a  dead  calm  all  retum^Hl  on  pi  ore,     A      isl, 
after  a  month's  ,U-\ay  at   Rres    "I/Kroih-  dii 
Ma;ln,"  capt.  Me?  (-s.  put  lo  sea  ou  Feb.  22!   I, 
1HI7.     The  rtdi;     'US  colony  sh     carried       ..t 
<t>' i|,o  til  of  22  p«r«>ii»,  i'lrhidii    '  the  an 'i- 
hiKhi.p.  ,  iz  :  78ittters  of  Notre  Dans    de  Namur 
the  3  Jesuit  Fathers   tioete.  Ghz».=  ,-:  and  Me; 
j'sirey,  and  3  lay  bn-fhen:  5  **•<;»> 
Le  Has,  McCormick,    I>filer«  an. 
Veyrct;  2  deacons,  B.  I     'orme  Hff' 
and  a  clerii ,  T.  Mesp  Th<    inj»,= 

the  iii.^tcr.^  was  Vvry  go.   !    a  lot?!;  •» 
Ion     table  -    is OMtvmon  to  all.      An  ,ilt; 
bti     Hxeiliitlhen     -partof  'leshij.  wh 
holy  raasses  were  dnly  <••  ''hr^-ed  on  tlf 
of  liie  four  lioly  m«rtyrs.      Snndav  an. 
ing  services,  on  deck    we        ery  soi  - 
impressivf.     Pr.tyer.  -eadiug  an'  «' 
thed:iily  'cctiptiiii  !tst  ;  themissiii 
beauties        the  vast  sea  and  of  ! 
vault,  esj      iallv  i     the  soiiiheni  1  r. 
11   h!  wer       JijectK  ot 
i        .fweriii      reatiiii' 
■>m.!i*  Jiho-        trlh  tl 
inn  It  d.      treth  the  work  of 

i<i'i-lui    reilu    iiriresof  iliesea ; 
>»e  Lunl        higfi 

iiiios  yes  ;         who  .«aid  to 
Peter,  (     n    <)  upon 

II.     rock  1  wili  !      Id  My  Chnrcl.  ;i„.  gates 

ot       II  shall  not  |ii   vail  against  ii  the  same 

Gv  Ihe  S»v  "*■'  (jod.  "who  niucJe  all  things, 
and  vithoiit  v\  oin  was  made  nothing  that  was 
Ami  .  alas  I  there  have  been  found 
n  '  vni.s  rfthe  earth,  men  so  p«r- 
i»elieving  llie  power  of  (Jod  in 
I'll  iiild  earth.  nroiiJiv  ■•t..)  :.,o..i' 
iim  the  same  efficient  power  hi 
infallible  Church  (or  the  salvation 


f- 


iHiiieu 

ilation 
.i:  -Tl 
■d ;  aiiu 

hi<   H 
iidcrtul 
Ves.  a  tbcu^ai' 
moil  :  "Tli.'  i 


Hianv. 
|i'i:iiiies, 
>    r^     !l^ 


prii 
retot 
V  Ja: 

ini*»(i= 
iiii  I 

lies 
en- 

re 

The 

igled 

starry 

rofonnd 

lands  of 

lory  of 


tti 


Catholic  Church  in  Okkoon. 


61 


ol  ^riuU  (^MMifeil  to  His  own  imnse  nnv  iikeiien*. 
•iiii  who  fiK>liKhly  hegan  n  pre -udeti  refimn- 
Mtioii.  Gri'Hl  (i<Hl  I  \vl  t  tioii8ih»e  !  wimt  fol- 
ly ;  w  hal  horrible  bln«(    einy  ! 

TIk  Muiiii.'of  the  hark  wHs^erifnilly  sinootli 
vi(h  the  exception  of  t*  henv\  otorinn  :  tl»« 
tirsr  which  rnine  on  u  giKtiien  iom  the  Went, 
>>n  tne  pnrni  t>|  of  Rio  Janeiro,  ami  la^toii  24 
hours,  carri'  '  the  biirk  <«oin»"  linndred  miles  out 
.>f  heroour-v.     I'  wiu.  ire-      oiupeitt ;  the  Hec-- 

'nl  Ir  'ifi  Mi^hf  ilay^  ihiri;  ,  which  the  wiml 
"as  \  '!■■  h  an«l  contrary,  an<{  the  sea  heavy, 
\^   ;en  '  uninjr  from  enuth  torn  rlh  >  iithe  Pacific. 

ii.  bot.i      .asions  the  captain  «   peareti  very 

T'  <1  of  '    nmise  appoai  1  laM  on 

"'  nd  t       t»ark  arrive«l  ;  '  iiiile&  from 

;Mii  tit.     8he  niiiiiiiiefl  oiittddc 

I-  wan  I  p  lo<  nml  wmd.      At  last, 

liiji  iHfeii  5  n>  (is  and  2^1  days  from  Brcpl, 
(I  nndcr  the  piloiaj^e  of  Rcevesn,  ithe  ero8«»Ml 
no  bar  Mtfcly  and  entered  the  Columbia  river 
late  in  the  at^ernoon  of  Aug.  l:  li,  1847.  and 
<  list  anchor  in  Gray's  Bay.  Tli  i  ii  wuh  thai 
ilie  nuxsionaries,  in  their  excp«<>  ;n^-reat  joy, 
'linnted  a  Te  Deum.  which  toe?*  of  Ca|>e 

Disappointiiuint  and  the  i»<-!  >,'  hillii  re- 

l>eated  with  einnlatiou.     (>!)  ofAn<f. 

our  bark  got  aground  at  the  m  be  Wil- 

lamette, and  OD  the  lUth,  the  ml-  id  uiis- 

sionaries    left  her  for  St.   Paul  !i  they 

reached  on  Saturday  the  2<)ih,  .     nijiht. 

The  archbishop  left  heron  the  25ih,  celebrated 
-Mass  in  the  cathedral  at  Orejrou  Citv  on  ttie 
'i6th,reache<lC'hnn)poe<;thefollowin*rday,and 
from  thence, accompanied  by  a  lar^e  conconrxe 
of  Cutholi«>8  and  Protectants,  he  entered  the 
church  a  ^;.  Paul  vested  with  his  episcopal 
ri>l)e8.  niozetta,  miter  and  crosier.  After  the 
Tt:  Deum  and  benedit^tion  of  (he  Kles.sed  Sac- 
rament, and  appropriate  words  from  ihean-h- 
bishop,  all  retired  hiippy.  The  bishop  elect 
had  been  two  years  and  se«en  months  absent 


(Pt'BLISHKU  AlOt'ST  2iND  1878.) 
RkJOICING.'  m  THE  ARCHDK)^  KSR. 

Arrival  of  the  Bmi    =•  oi  Wai.la  Wali.a. 

CoMSECRATioK  i-i    \nnov  Oemkhs. 
Condition  or  Tii«  DiocESsa. 

FROM  li.e  at  al  <>f  the  arf-hbishop  to  the 
sad  event  w  ich  put  the  C  «tholic  missions 
of  Oregon  upon  the  brink  of  (heir  ruin,  there 
were  but  festivities  and  rejoicings  in  tl  ■  arch- 
diocese, especially  at  St.  Paul,  i'ho  ejienco 
of  the  archbishop  in  the  chmch,  on  his  shrone. 
with  epis4-opal  insi^jnias,  surrounded  by  a  nu- 
merous cleryfv.  the  heaiity  of  the  chant',  music 
and  s<demiiily  of  the  seri  ite,  were  drawing  (he 
faiihfnl  who  <<>uld  not  weary  of  contemplating 
the  beauties  of  God's  house. 

On  Sundays.  Aug.  29th,  and  Sept.  ftth,  the 
archbishop  moiuited  the  pulpit  and  gave  some 
tieiails  of  his  journey.  On  the  3rd  Sunday  he 
administered  li.e  sacrament  of  Confirmation  to 
a  large  nunihcr  f:f  persons.  On  the  4th  Sun- 
day he  made  an  urdinatijm,  raising  deacon  Ja- 
vol  to  the  priestlmod.  On  the  6th  Sunday  he 
gave  Confirn  Htion  at  Vancouver.  On  the  6th, 
7th  aiul  ,Sih  Sundays,  he  was  at  St.  Francis 
Xavi»  r's  mission  of  Cowlitz  where  he  remained 
two  weeks  and  which,  then,  coutnined  2.5  fam- 
ilies, or  IHG  souls,  of  whom  130  were  adiihs 
and  aO  children,  ami  74  eommunicinnts.  He 
confirmed  there  50  persons,  celebrated  high 
Mass  on  the  2nd  and  3rd  Sundays.  The  of- 
fices in  tho  morning  and  afternoon  were  made 
solemn  hy  the  plain  chant  and  the  singing  of 
French  impressive  hymns  by  the  two  choirs  of 
men  and  women.  He  witnessed  once  more 
the  successful  efforts  of  the  iwo  first  mission- 


"^r^y 


aries  in  teaching,  in  the  French 
first  verse  of  a  large  number  of 
which  were  sung  on  Sundays 
by  the  whites  as  well  as  by  T 
their  canoes.     He  was  at  ^ 
Sunday  :  made  an  ordination 

that  of  deacon  B.  Delormc  ' 

f\.    .1...  <vii — : —  J...     »n   . 
\jtt   (lie  ii'iii/f*  itj^  ua V ,  ^11   . 

tifica!  high  Mass  was  celebr 
nity,  n  j  to  chant,  music  and  icii 


the 


62 


Historical  Skbtcbes  of  thk 


witnessed  before.  In  fine,  tlie  80th  of  Novem- 
ber 1847,  feasl  of  the  Hpostle  St.  Andrew,  fall- 
ing on  a  Tue>«(lay,  put  the  crown  to  all  the  pre- 
vious fe8tivitie<  and  rejoicings  of  the  faithful, 
by  the  episcopal  consecration,  which  the  bish- 
op-elect of  Vancouver  Island  received  in  the 
cliurch  of  St.  Paul  on  that  day,  at  the  hands 
of  the  archbishop,  in  presence  of  a  numerous 
clergy  and  a  very  large  number  of  the  faithful. 
While  the  archbishop  was  on  sea,  sailing  fur 
his  archdiocese,  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla, 
who  wus  consecrated  on  September  '27th  1846, 
left  Montreal  for  St.  Louis  March  iord  1847. 
Commencing  from  therea  journey  of  5  months, 
iu  wagon  on  the  plains,  he  reached  Fort  Walla 
Walla  on  Sept.  dlh,  seven  days  after  the  arri- 
val of  the  archbishop  at  St.  Paul.  He  was  ac- 
companied by  nine  persons,  viz :  four  Fathers, 
O.  M.  I.,  of  Marseilles,  and  two  lay  brothers : 
and  two  secular  priests,  liev.  Fathers  Bruuillet, 
vicar  general  of  Walla  Walla  and  Rousseau, 
and  Wm.  Leclaire,  a  deacon.  He  was  heart- 
ily received  by  the  commandant  of  the  fort,  Mr. 
McBean  and  family,  who  were  Catholics,  and 
treated,  with  his  clergy,  with  great  attention 
aud  respect. 

By  the  arrivals  from  France  and  Canada, 
the  ecclesiastical  Province  of  Oregon  City 
possessed  in  the  fall  of  1847,  3  bishops,  14  Je- 
suit Faihers,  4  Oblate  Fathers  «>f  M.  I.,  13 
secular  priests,  including  a  dtracon  ordained  in 
1849,  and  a  cleric,  T.  Mespli^,  oniained  in  May 
1850 ;  13  sisters  and  'Z  houses  of  education. 

The  archbishop  started  with  ten  priests,  in- 
cluding T.  Mespli^,  two  Jesuit  Fathers  at  St. 
Ignatius'  residence,  13  sisters  and  two  educa- 
tional houses.  The  bishop  of  Walla  Walla 
wnsstartiii<;  with  3  secular  priests,  including  a 
deacon, 4  Oliliite  Father^of  M.  I.. and  12  Jesuit 
Fathers  at  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  bishop 
of  Vancouver  Island  had  not  even  one  priest 
to  accompany  him  to  Victoria.  ^  ticli  was  the 
aitualion  on  the  eve  of  a  most  eniiueut  danger. 

The  whole  mission  of  Oregon,  comprising 
the  three  sees,  was  divided  iu  8  districts.  To 
the  see  of  Vancouver  Island  were  attached  the 
districts  of  New  Caledonia  and  Prince  Char- 
lotte Island  ;  to  the  see  of  Oregon  City  was  at- 
tached the  district  of  Nisquully  ;  to  the  see  of 
Wnlla  Walla  were  attached  the  di^'tricts  of 


Colville  and  Fort  Hnll.  On  n  'nter  occasion, 
June  29th  1853,  at  the  recfmnicndaiion  of  tl^t- 
1.  Plenary  Council  of  Baltimore,  held  in  1852. 
the  Columbia  riverand  parallel  46  became  ihc 
line  of  division  between  the  diot-eses  of  Oregon 
City  and  Nisqually,  from  the  Pacific  lo  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

The  three  seen  and  the  districts  attached  to 
them  containe<l  numerous  iribcE  of  Indians, 
who  had  been  visited  several  times  by  the  Cath- 
olic missionaries  and  converted,  in  great  part, 
to  the  Catholic  faith:  they  were  <-alliu;'  for 
priests  since  1838.  The  time  had  arrivtd  to 
sec  their  earnest  desires  accomplished.  This 
was  to  1)6  the  case  with  the  Cayiiscs  living  rn 
the  Uniatilla,  their  camp  being  30  miles  from 
another  Cayuse  camp  situated  on  the  Walla 
Walla,  a  few  miles  from  the  fort.  The  first 
camp  wiiK  Catholic  at  heart,  and  their  chief, 
Tamafoive,  offered  a  home  to  the  bishop. 

The  diocese  of  Walla  Walla  had  ris  spe- 
cially, that  it  had  already  three  Preshvieriiin 
missions;  one  at  Wailatpu.  on  the  Wallii  Walla . 
among  the  Cnyuses  mentioned  above,  estab- 
lished iu  1836,  by  Dr.  Whitman ;  another  at 
I^pwai,  on  the  Clearwater,  six  days'  journey 
from  Fort  Walla  Walla,  established  in  1836 
among  the  Ncz  Perses  by  minister  Spalding ; 
and  the  last  estnldished  by  Mr.  Eells  among 
the  Spokanes.  Hence  the  trouble,  the  bishop 
being  regarded  as  an  intruder. 

The  object  of  the  Fathers,  0.  M.  I.,  being 
the  evangelization  of  the  Indians,  they  left 
Wnlla  Walla  with  Father  Ricard,  their  supe- 
rior, early  iu  October,  to  go  and  found  a  mis- 
sion among  the  Indians  of  Yakima.  The  bish- 
op of  Walla  >^  alia  left  tl>e  fort,  with  his  cler- 
gy, for  the  Catholic  can.p  of  the  Caynses  on 
October  27th,  aLd  reached  the  place  the  same 
day,  a  Saturday. 

The  arrival  of  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla 
with  his  clergy  to  the  fort  was  a  thunderbolt 
to  the  Presbyterian  ministers,  spet-itilly  to  Dr. 
Whitman.  He  was  woimded  to  the  heart  by 
it.  He  cunhl  not  refrain  fr«>m  expressing  hi!< 
great  dissatisfaction,  saying  he  woidd  do  all 
in  his  power  to  thwart  the  bishop.  Such  was 
the  situation  of  affairs  and  the  sad  prospect  of 
the  bishop  on  Sunday,  Nov.  28th,  ihe  eve  of 
the  terrible  tragedy  which  brought  Ihe  Catholic 


Catholic  Chukch  in  Orkoon. 


M 


Mi^Pion  and  iix  estjiblislinients  iijOre<>on  iipoii 
the  brink  of  itn  ruin  ;  for  nt  the  sijfht  of  the 
jIoo<l  nlrt'Hdy  done  and  to  be  done  by  the  iirniy 
of  the  zealous  niissionurios  jiisf  arrived,  llie 
devil.  i»liHkin<r  with  Hii<rer  and  rH;re.  resolved 
to  make  his  last  efforts  to  uiterlv  ruin  (he  Cath- 
olic cler;.'y  on  this  Coa»t ;  heiiee  the  horrible 
<lrania. 

The  Murder  ok  Dr.  Whitsian  and  Wife. 


The  eiuijrralion  of  1847  had  bron<;ht  dvsen- 
tery  and  measles  amonjr  the  Proiestaut  eamp. 
1S'7  had  sn<cnnibed  to  the  epitlemif.     The  In- 
•lians  already  much  displeased  uiih  their  teach- 
er. Dr.  Whitman,  for  his  lack  of  good  faith 
and  fidelity  in  his  promises,  snspected  him  of 
poisonin;;  them.     They  were  confirmed  in  their 
suspicion  by  the  report  of  a  certain  half-breed 
of  the  place,  called  Joseph  Lc«  is.  raii.ed  in  the 
Eastern  States,  who  said :  "He  had  heard,  at 
night,  Dr.  Whitman,  his  wife  and   minister 
Spalding  speaking  on  the  ne<-essitv  of  killin*' 
t  liem  in  onler  to  seize  their  lands;"  "and  adding'^ 
■  if  you  don't  kill  them,  you  will  be  all  dead  by 
next  Sprih-.  :      i'hereiipon,  the  death  of  Dr. 
Whitman  was  resolved. 

On  Sunday  the  28th,  six  other  Indians  were 
buried.  On  Monday,  the  ;i>9th,  1847,  after 
having  buried  three  other  of  their  brethren,  a 
iHjrtain  number  of  ihcm  went  to  Dr.  Whitman's 
establishment  alnuit  2  or  3  p.  m.,  and  entered 
his  yard,  carrying  weapons  conceale.l  under 
ilicir  blankets,  while  the  few  men  were  bn.sy. 
ihcy  began  their  work  of  desir.iclion  by  butch- 
iriug  the  doctor,  his  wife  and  8  oihcr  Amer- 
icans that  day. 

On  'J'nesday.  Nov.  .30lh.  the  vicar  general 
having  to  go  and  baptize  some  sick  children  at 
the  Protestant  Cayuse  camp  according  to  pro- 
niise.  he  started  and  arrived  there  af'^7  p.  m. 
I'hereit  was  that  he  heard  of  the  atrocious  dra- 
ma.    Me  passed  the  whole  night  awake.     On 
the  morning  of  Dec.  Isl.  after  baptizing  the 
children,  he  went  to  the  dreadful  place  ol"  tha 
niiis.sacre.  conwdcd  the  women  kept  in  the  doc- 
tor's h<.u.*e.  washed  the  bodies  and  buried  them 
will,   the  a.-sisiancc  of  a   Kienchman,  called 
StandHeld.  who  h.,.!  been  spared  ;  and  all  that 
ill  the  presence  of  the  murderers;  and  going 
once  more  to  console  tbo  wonieu,  he  started 


in  haste  in  onlor  to  meet  and  save  minister 
Spalding's  life  who  was  coming  on  that  day 
from  the  Cayuse  camp  to  the  doctor's  house. 

(published  AUGUST  39tii  1878.) 

Narrow  Escape  of  Mr.  8paldivg. 
The  Lives  or  Fr.  Bhouillet,  the  Biihop 

and  Clergy  in  Great  Danger. 

The  Prisoners  Redeemed  and  Carried  to 

Oregon  City  by  Chief  Factor  Ogden-. 

fATHER  Bronillet  was  much  pained  when, 
in  starling,  he  saw  one  of  the  murderers 
following  him  with  his  interpreter,  who  was 
an  Indian.     He  had  barely  made  three  miles 
when  he  ob.ocrved  minister  Spalding  coming  in 
and  who  at  once  called  for  news.     The  vicar 
general  hesitates,  the  minister  urges  him  ;  the 
vicar  general  evades  his  questions  and  keeps 
an  animated  convrrsation  with  the  interpreter 
and  murderer.     He  begs  for  mercy  and  for  the 
life  of  the  minister;  the  murderer  hesitates, 
and  says  at  last  he  must  go  and  consult  his 
friends,  and   ftrthwith    starts  at  full  gallun 
'1  hen.  Father  Bronillet  reveals  to  .Mr.  Splilding 
the  h..rrors  of  the  slaughter,  the  subject  of  his 
conversalion  with  the  murderer,  the  object  of 
his  running  back,  and  recommends  him  to  take 
a  determination  at  once,  if  he  wishes  to  save 
his  life,  as  the  murderer  will  soon  return.     Mr 
Spalding  is  struck  with  terror ;  he  utters  sad 
lamentations,  asks  many  questions,  and  knows 
not  what  to  resolve  upon.     He  asks  for  and 
receives  provisions,  and  Father  Bronillet  leaves 
him  still  talking  with  the  interpreter.     At  last 
he  rushes  to  the  forest  at  dusk  in  the  evening 
The  vicar  general  had  scarcely  made  a  few 
miles  when  he  heard  the  racing  irot  of  horses  ; 
they  were  three  men,  who  gave  vent  to  their 
great  displeasure  when  they  did  not  see  Mr 
Spalding.     From  that  day  the  life  of  Father 
Broiiiller  was  not  safe  from  danger.     He  w«s 
held  resjMiusible  for  the  escape  of  the  minister. 
That  night  he  also  passed  without  sleep. 

On  Thuwlay,  December  2nd,  he  reached 
the  young  chief  Toniatow't  c«mp  early.     On 


mm 


^^^_^ 


■  £4Jm:£~.ti4^ii«g 


64 


ilisTORioAL  Sketches  of  the 


loarninj^  the  atrocious  deeil,  the  hishop,  and 
clergy,  and  the  wliole  camp  were  struck  with 
consternation.  A  few  days  afker  an  express  ar- 
rived from  Walla  Walla,  informing  the  bisiiop 
tVt  his  life  and  the  lives  of  the  priests  were  in 
danger,  on  the  part  of  a  certain  ntimber  of  In- 
dians who  could  not  forgive  Father  Brotiillet 
for  having  deprived  them  of  the  chance  of  ad- 
ding another  victim  to  the  ten  first  ones.  On 
the  3rd,  the  bishop  assembled  the  chiefs,  ex- 
pressed t4ie  deep  pain  and  sorrow  he  felt  at  the 
enormous  crime,  and  recommended  them  earn- 
estly to  use  their  influence  in  order  to  save  the 
widows  and  orphans.  The  chiefs  answered 
that  they  had  no  hand  in  the  massacre,  and 
would  use  their  influence  to  save  the  lives  of 
the  captives.  A  few  days  later,  a  young  man 
who  stayed  in  the  doctor's  mill,  20  miles  dis- 
tant, was  also  killed  ;  the  rest  had  the  chance 
to  escape.  On  the  10th,  the  two  sick  men  who 
were  spared  on  the  day  of  extermination,  were 
drawn  from  their  beds  and  cruelly  nuissacTed. 
On  the  11th,  one  of  the  captives  was  carried 
away  to  the  tent  of  one  of  the  chiefs. 

On  December  16th,  the  bishop  received  a 
letter,  dated  10th,  from  Mr.  Bpalding,  relating 
the  hardships  of  his  six  days'  traveling  only  at 
ni<'ht,  partly  on  foot,  begging  him  to  tell  the 
Indians  that  the  Americans  would  not  make 
war,  nor  come  for  revenge,  and  to  send  his 
letter  to  the  governor.  On  December  iOili, 
the  great  and  subalern  chiefs  repaired  to  the 
bishop's  house  to  hold  a  council  liefore  iiim  and 
his  clergy,  in  which  after  a  long  talk  and  de- 
liberations, a  manifesto  ''I's  drawn  and  given 
to  the  bishop  to  be  sent  to  the  governor  with  a 
letter  from  him.  The  bishop  availed  himself 
of  the  occasion  to  recommend  once  more  and 
earnestly  that  they  who  had  carried  awiiy  some 
of  the  cajitives.  to  return  them  without  delay. 
As  soon  as  the  sad  tidings  of  the  Wailatpu 
massacre  had  reached  Fort  Vancouver,  chief 
factor  Og<!en.  knowing  the  importance  of  a 
prompt  action,  started  without  delay  to  come 
to  the  help  and  rescue  of  the  captives.  On 
rcMching  Fort  Walla  Walla  on  December  IKth, 
111'  8<'nt  nn  i'Xj)ri'>'s  to  notify  nil  llie  chiefs  to 
riimf  and  assemble  at  the  fori.  Un  ,i  fii>t  ji,. 
vitatioii.  the  bishop  begged  in  be  o^-used  ,  an  a 
-■ecoiiil,  he  ciimo  down  with  his  ciivgy.      I'lic 


assembly  took  place  on  Dec.  23d.  Chief  factor 
Og<leii  strongly  deprecated  the  horrible  mas- 
sacre, threw  the  blame  on  the  chiefs  for  not  re- 
straining the  yonng  men,  and  said  he  did  noi 
come  on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  but  only  on 
the  part  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Cnmpauy;  he  woiihl 
not  promise  peace,  but  would  employ  his  ii  - 
fluence  to  obtain  it ;  that  he  had  come  to  res- 
cue the  prisoners,  and  expected  he  had  not 
come  in  vain.  The  chiefs  answered  him  that 
in  consideration  of  his  age,  white  hairs,  and 
the  assurance  that  he  was  unable  to  deceive 
them,  they  would  grant  his  request.  The  Ntz 
Perces  «hiefs  consented  also  to  release  Mr. 
8paMiug,  his  family  and  other  Americans  held 
as  hostages. 

On  December  29th.  the  ptisoners  of  Wai- 
latpu, ftl  in  all,  arrived  at  the  fort :  those  of 
l^apwai,  11  in  all.  arrive«l  on  Jan.  1st,  1848. 
under  an  escort  of  ."iC  warriors.  A  high  price 
was  I  aid  for  the  captives.  The  followiug  day 
was  fixed  for  the  departure,  now  most  urgent 
on  account  of  the  strange  rumors  which  circu- 
lated among  the  Indians,  that  th^  Americans 
were  at  the  Dalles,  coming  to  t«ke  a  revenge  ; 
which  rnniors  might  in  u  moment  make  the 
Indians  change  their  minds  and  try  t«i  keep  the 
prisoners  as  hostages.  '!  he  bishop  ac(e|ited  a 
passage  on  the  boats  :  \.<  ns  accompanied  by 
Father  Rousseau,  and  by  Fr.  Ricard.  O.  M.  1. 
In  spite  of  all  the  <liligence  by  chief  factor  Og- 
dcn,  the  iHials  ventured  into  the  streiim  at  2 
p.  m.,  just  in  time  to  escape  the  SOCayiise  war- 
riors who  arrived  scarcely  an  hour  afterwards 
to  kill  Mr.  Spalditrg,  and  im  doubt,  to  keep 
the  others  as  hcitages. 

At  the  Dalles  minister  Spalding  showed  the 
true  spirit  which  animated  him  towards  the 
Indians,  quite  different  fr<  m  that  expressed  in 
his  letter  to  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla,  in 
urging  .N!ajor  Lee  to  gt»  I.  ii;.Me  in  order  to 
take  ihcm  by  surprise;  c.  •  designing  to 
Major  Magone  those  when  f  ed  death,  with 
the  excel  tion  of  five  or  six  ti.  ^te  spared.  The 
boats  reathed  Fort  Vancouver  on  ,Ianuary8lh. 
On  the  10th,  chief  factor  Ogden  delivered  the 
prisoners  to  the  governor  at  Oregon  City,  wiih 
(he  lutitr  of  .Mr.  i^palding  to  tlie  bishop,  the 
i!Uiuifesto  of  the  cliiefs,  (tccmipanicd  by  the 
Lifhop's  letter  lo  the  j;ov.rnor.     The  editors 


Catholic  Chukcii  in  Orkoon. 


65 


of  iTie  Oregon  Spectator  would  publish  but  a 
part  of  Mr.  Spalding's  letter;  but  Mr.  0^'den 
SHjiug,  "must  publish  all  or  nothing,"  they 
fonsentcd.  but  with  ranch  repugnance.  On 
Jan.  loth,  the  bishop  of  VValb  Walla,  after 
hard  trials  and  imminent  danger  arrived  safe  at 
St.  Paul,  the  residence  of  his  brother,  the  arch- 
bishop of  Oregon  City. 

After  the  bishop's  departure,  vicar  general 
Brouillel  left  Fort  Walla  Wella  and  returned 
to  Umatilla  with  Fr.  Leclaire.  He  remained 
there  till  February  20th,  in  the  midst  of  thou- 
sands of  rumors  of  troops  at  llio  Dalles,  of  bat- 
tles and  of  villages  being  burnt.  Ho  had  pro- 
mised the  Cayuses  of  his  miosion  to  remain 
with  them  as  long  as  peace  would  last ;  so  he 
did,  in  spite  of  many  daugers  on  the  pjirt  of 
l>otli  the  Indians  and  the  Americans.  The  first 
tight  with  the  Americans  having  taken  place 
on  Feb.  19th,  he  thought  he  was  disengaged 
from  his  word,  and  left  the  following  day  for 
Fort  Walla  Walla.  But  the  Indians  were  so 
displeasefl  with  his  departure,  that  they  plun- 
<lered  his  house  and  set  it  on  fire.  .■Vnd  as  the 
I  onimissioners  called  by  the  chiefs  to  treat  on 
|teace  were  leaving  on  March  13tli,  he  availed 
liini!<elfof  the  occasion  to  go  down  with  his 
companion .  He  was  accompanied  by  Fathers 
Chirouse.  Pandoay,  and  others  of  the  Yakima 
mission  :  all  going  to  St.  Paul  of  Williimette. 

KrFKCTS  OK  THB    MuBDEB  ANU  WaB  DIX>N  TUB 

Catholic  akd  Pbotestant  M  issioks. 
The  murder  of  Dr.  Whitman  and  oiheri^  had 
(he  effect  of  bringing  in  imminent  diin/er  the 
lives  of  the  bishop  and  his  clergy.  The  war 
which  followed  brou^dii  iheCaynse  misi^iou  to 
an  end  only  for  a  short  linif;  for  a  few  months 
:itter.  the  Cayuses  of  UmHiillc  recalled  their 
I  riesis ;  and  the  bishop  starteil  from  Vancou- 
ver June  4lh,  1848,  to  return  to  his  diocese, 
lie  reached  the  Dalles  on  June  lOlh,  and  being 
r.irhidden  lo  go  ftiriher  by  Mr.  Lee,  the  super- 
iiiiendcnt  of  Indian  affairs,  he  fixed  his  resid- 
«Mice  there,  and  began  a  mission  at  the  Dalles, 
which  was  a  part  of  his  <lio4-ese.  The  Oblate 
Fiuhtrs  returned  nnmoleHted  to  their  Yakima 
mission,  about  the  same  lime.  Very  different 
were  the  effects  of  the  murder  and  war  upon 
the  Presbyterian  missions  of  Wailatpu,Lapwai 


and  Spokane.  They  had  for  effects  their  total 
destruction  for  ever  ;  for  not  only  no  Indiaoe,  re- 
called their  minister?,  but  none  of  them  -Aould 
have  been  safe  there.  Knowing  this,  minis- 
ters Eells  and  Walker  hastened  to  leave  their 
Spokane  mission  at  the  beginning  of  the  war 
under  a  strong  escort. 

Black  Inoratitcdk  add  Infamous  Calcm- 

MIK8  or  Mb.  Spalding,    The  Catholic 

Chdrcmeb  m  Danoeb  in  I.«web  Obegon. 

A  Petition  to  the  Legislaiure  Against 

THE  Priests. 

The  Iocs  of  the  ministers  and  their  friends 
was  loo  great  not  lo  be  deeply  felt.     To  »heir 
^rief  succeeded  fits  of  anger  which  they  dis- 
charged upon  the  bishop  and  his  clergy.     Mr. 
Spalding,  closing  his  soul  lo  all  the  noble  sen- 
timents of  gratitude,  and  forgetting  all  its  du- 
ties, accused  the  bishop  and  his  clergy  of  ha-- 
Jiig  been  the  instigators  of  the  horrible  mas- 
sacre.    He  published  in  the  Oregon  American 
of  1848,  an  incorrect  history  of  it,  containing 
16  calumnious  iharges.     Father  Brouillet,  in 
giving  a  true  hielor)-  of  the  massacre,  refuted 
(he  charges  in  a  pamphlet  of  107  pages,  pub- 
lished by  the  Freeman  $  Journal  in  1863,  and 
republished  by  the  Catholic  Sentinel  in  1869. 
But  the  orally  malicious  charges  of  iDe  min- 
ister, from  the  beginning  had  already  produced 
the  evil  fruits  of  deep  and  fatal  impressions ; 
and  the  excitement  became  so  great  that  the 
volunteers  in  starting  caid  that  iheir  first  shots 
would  be  for  the  bishop  and  his  priests  ;  and 
that,  for  several  months,  the  Catholic  churches 
and  establishments  in  the  Willamette  valley 
were  in  the  greatest  danger  of  being  burned 
down.     But  not  satisfied  with  that,  the  min- 
isters beca-ie  jealous  in  seeing  the  Jesuit  Fath- 
ers safe  a  d  quiet  among  the  Indiana  of  the 
Bocky  M  untaius,  the  Oblate  Fathers  retoru- 
ing  to  thuir  mission  at  Yakima,  and  the  bishop 
attending  the  prayers  of  the  UauUilU  Indians, 
on  his  way  for  that  mission,  while  they  could 
not  return.     This  being  too  much,  they  con- 
ceived the  plan  of  a  petition  to  be  drawn  np 
and  largely  signed,    repeating  the  infamous 
charge*,  and  to  be  sent  to  the  legislature.     It 
w  as  (^n  ieuted,  but  by  that  time  the  good  com- 


I 


66 


Historical  Skbtchbs  or  thk 


moD  sen^e  of  the  people  hnd  made  them  right; 
two-lhirds  of  the  legislature  voted  ajrainst  it, 
and  the  officers  of  the  army,  their  aoldiers  and 
volunteers,  becoming  better  acquainted  with 
the  true  facts  on  reaching  the  stnt  of  war,  did 
honimage  to  the  truth  in  acknovsledging  the 
honorable  and  loyal  conduct  of  the  bishop  and 
bis  clergy. 


(published  skptrhber  5th  1678.) 

Fath&r  Brodillet's  Pamphlet  in  1848, 

1857, 1869  AMD  1871.    Chakoks  Rrmbwkd  in 

1869  AND  1871,  AND  Answered  in  1872. 

TO  those  *ho  never  read  Father  Brouillet's 
pamphlet,  written  in  1848  and  published 
in  1853,  and  who  desire  to  know  its  contents, 
we  give  the  title  of  its  five  chHptt'r8,viz : — 

1.  The  remote  and  immediate  causes  which 
led  to  the  Whitman  massacre. 

2.  Documentary  evidence  proving  the  fore- 
going assertion. 

8.  Review  of  the  evidence  addiicnd  in  the 
foregoing  chapter. 

4.  Journal  of  the  principal  events  that  occur- 
red in  the  Walla  Walla  country  from  the  ar- 
rival of  the  bishop  luul  his  cler<;y  until  the  mo- 
ment they  left  for  the  Willamette  valley.  Let- 
ter of  Father  Brouillet.  from  Fort  Wnllu  Walla, 
March  2nd,  1848,  to  Col  Gilliam.  Letter  of 
H.  H.  Hpalding,  from  Clear  Water,  Dec.  10th, 
1847,  to  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla.  Meet- 
ma  r/*  the  chiefs  at  the  bishop's  house,  and 
their  manifesto.  A  rrival  of  chief  factor  Oplen, 
and  redemption  of  the  captives.  The  bixhop 
tit  the  Dalles,  on  his  way  to  Umatilla. 

;).  Summary  of  the  chief  accusations  made 
bv  Mr.  Spalding  against  the  Ciitliolic  cler;iy  of 
Walla  Walla,  with  an  ani<wer  to  each  of  them. 

But  this  was  not  the  end  of  the  trouble  ;  the 
charges  were  renewed  :  this  time  not  by  one 
minister  only,  nor  presented  only  to  a  territo- 
rial legislature  for  action,  but  by  an  army  of 
ministers,  and  presented  by  them  for  action  to 
the  highest  authority  in  the  land,  the  Senate  : 
for,  as  the  infamous  charges  made  by  H.  H. 


Spalding  against  the  Catholic  clergy  of  Walla 
Walla  had  reached  the  various  Protestant  sects 
of  Oregon  and  the  Eastern  Slates,  and  were 
believed  by  them  as  gospel  truths  ;  and  where- 
as, hostile  to  each  other  in  principles,  they  an^ 
always  ready  to  join  together  in  an  assault  on 
the  old  mother  Church,  they  availed  them^ielvfS 
of  a  chance  of  showing  their  hatred  to  her,  22 
years  afler  the  massacre,  as  follows : — 

In  1857,  a  special  agent  of  the  Treasury 
Department,  J.  Boss  Browne,  whs  sent  to  the 
far  West,  to  make  a  re|ort  on  the  condition  of 
the  aborigeiies,  and  the  potent  causes  of  war 
between  them  and  the  white  settkrs.     On  fitd- 
iiig  that  Father  Brouillct's  pamphlet  was  »u 
important  document  on  the  siilject,  he  embo- 
died it  in  his  report,  which  the  U.  S.  Congress 
published  as  Kxecurive  Document  No.  88,  of 
18i'9.     The  fact  remained  unnoticed  for  ten 
years,  till  on  a  sudden,  during  the  year  1869, 
it  drew  the  attention  of  seven  Protestant  asM>- 
ciaiions,  or  sects  in  Oregon,  and  three  in  the 
Kastcrn  States  ;  and  greatly  aroused  their  ire. 
because  "It  severely  reflected  upon  the  devoted 
missionaries  of  the  American  b<tard."    Hence, 
the  many  resolutions  of  each  sect,  severely 
blaming  the  action  of  the  Senate,  calling  Fr. 
Brouillet's  pamphlet  "a  libel  on  Oregon's  his- 
tory, and  a  gross  and  malicious  calumny,"  en- 
dorsing the  most  infamous  charges  of  H.  H. 
Spalding  and  af-cc-rtaining  them,  as  if,  after  a 
lapse  of  22  years,  and  so  far  from  the  spot, 
they  had  been  eye  witnesses,  and  had  seen  and 
heard  all ;  whereas,  Col.  Gilliam,  his  scddiers 
and  the  volunteers,  on  the  spot  two  mouths 
afier  the  massacre,  becoming  better  acquainted 
with  the  facts,  hid  exoncniled  the  hi^hnp and 
his  clergy  from  i<ll  blame;  which  the  legislature 
also  did  in  Dec.  1848,  by  rejecting,  by  a  two- 
third  vote,  the  petition,  reptaling  the  charges 
and  denitiiidiiig  the  expulsion  of  the  Catholic 
clergy  from  the  Indian  c<)niilry.     The  action  of 
these  ten  Protestant  seclc  having  lieen  embo- 
died in  a  pamphlet  of  81  pages,  tl  e  fame  was 
passeil  by  Mr.  Spalding  to  Mr.  A.  B.  Meach- 
am,  supt.  of  Indian  Affairs  in  Oregon,  and 
passed  hy  him  to  Mr.  Delano,  secretary  of  the 
Interior,  who  presented  it  to  the  Senate  <>u 
Feb.  8th,  1871,  and  is  known  as  Executive 
Document  No.  37,  of  1871, 


Catholic  Church  in  Okkoon. 


«7 


Tliip  exeoaiive  document  No.  37,  1871,  was 
iibly  answered  and  victoriously  refutud  iu  1872, 
by  Father  Broiiillel  and  the  Catholic  World : 
by  the  fir^t  in  u  pamphlet  of  18  pages  in  double 
column,  which  the  Catholic  Seulinel  produced 
in  July  and  AnRUit,  1872.  and  wherein  he  de- 
rIareH  unreliable  and  malicious  the  evidences 
of  the  ten  vhiirehes,  and  proves  that  point  of 
evidence  under  the  followinjf  heads:  1.  Falsi- 
fioatiou  «»f  otficial  reports;  •>.  fnlsitication  of 
depositions;  3.  falsiftcation  of  quotations;  4, 
falsity  of  statements;  by  the  second  in  an  article 
of  18  pa;;es  in  double  iwlumn.  to  be  found  in 
that  magazine  for  February.  1872  ;  wherein  it 
says  of  the  executive  document  No.  37,  1871: 
••VVo  have  had  recently  placed  iMjfore  us  an 
official  document  printed  at  the  public  expense 
for  the  edification  of  the  United  States  Senate, 
and,  no  doubt,  widely  circulated  throughout  the 
union  under  the  convenient  frank  of  mnny  pi- 
ous members  of  Congress,  in  which  are  repro- 
duced calumnies  so  gross,  and  falsehoods  so 
glaring,  that  we  consider  it  our  ,iuty  not  only 
to  call  public  attention  to  it,  but  demand  from 
our  rulers  at  Washington  by  what  right  aiui 
iiutborify  they  print  and  circulate,  under  offi- 
i-ial  form,  a  tissue  of  falsifications,  misrepre- 
.•»i'.ntations,  and  even  forgeries,  against  the  re- 
li.^ion  and  the  ministers  of  that  religion  which 
i-<  professed  by  five  or  six  millions  of  free 
American  citizens." 

We  give  licro  below  as  a  curiosity  the  fan- 
ciful names  of  the  ten  deoouiinations  or  loso- 
ciations  ntGntiotted  above,  wondering,  if  Christ 
were  to  revisit  the  earth,  which  of  this  Bar- 
iium's  ''liappy  family"  He  would  put  up  with: 

'•Tlie  Oregon  presbytery  of  the  United  (?) 
Presbyterian  church;  thf;Orrtgi>n  presbytervof 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  ;  the  Oregon 
jiresbytery  of  the  United  Presbyterian  <-hurch; 
tlie  Congregational  A.ssociution  of  Oregon; 
I'le  annual  conference  of  the  McthiMiist  Kpi*. 
«•  »pal  cliurch  ;  the  Chri.'tiiHn  brotherhood  of  the 
Stiite  of  Oregon  ;  the  Piensant  Uute  Baptist 
I'liurcU  of  Oregon  ;  the  Steuben  presbytery  of 
I'le  Pre.sbyierian  church.  New  York;  the  cit- 
i<:ens  of  Steuben,  Alleghany  and  ('beniuug 
<!our.tie!<,  N.  Y. ;  the  citizens  of  Oberliu,  0.  I" 

Of  tlicse  a.Hsociationd  and  hundreds  of  other 
men-built  churches,  which  obatiuatjly  and  coa- 


srantly  unite  in  fighting  against  the  old  Mother 
Chun-h  of  Christ  (and  in  nothing  else),  we  may 
say  :  if  these  would  allow  to  Go<l  as  much  wis- 
d4>m  nod  common  seitse  as  to  a  man  desirous  to 
build  a  high  fabric,  they  would  nDderstand  that 
He  who  made  heaven  and  earth  so  perfect  and 
lasting  for  the  sole  enjoyment  of  man,  must 
have  made  most  perfec*  and  lasting,  that  is,  in- 
fallible, His  Chundi  made  for  a  higher  object, 
the  salvation  of  souls  so  dear  to  Him.  There- 
fore, no  need  of  the  so-called  Reformation : 
therefore  the  touching  of  that  Ark,  the  Church, 
is  the  sin  of  Oza;  it  brings  death  and  damna- 
tion. An  Indian  understands  that  at  once — 
made  tangible  to  him  by  the  Catholic  Ladder. 

A  PftoTErrAMT  Bishop  on  this 
AND  Kindred  Sobjects. 
Bishop  J.  W.  Bashford,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  lately  wrote  ao  interesting 
series  of  articles  to  the  Pacific  Christian  Ad- 
vocate on  the  early  Oregon  missions.  A  prom- 
inent feature  of  th«  islsliAp's  write-up  is  his 
spirit  of  foirness  to  the  eariy  Oattx^*  mission- 
aries, a  feature  which  is  absent  from  nuch  of 
the  nou-Catholic  literature  dealing  with  the 
s«me  subject.  There  is  a  tonch  of  unconcious 
humor  in  bishop  Bashford's  contrast  of  Cath- 
olic and  Protestant  methods  of  civilizing  the 
Indians.  One  gathers  from  his  account  of  the 
miiiier  thni  the  Protestants  civilized  the  In- 
dians so  rapidly  that  the  aborigines  died  under 
the  treatment.  His  discussiou  on  this  point 
is  of  interest.     He  says : — 

''It  should  be  freely  recognized  also  that  the 
Roman  Catholic  Fathers  by  their  widely  ex- 
tended and  long  coutinued  labors  among  the 
Indians  contributed  directly  to  the  peace  and 
safety  of  all  Indians  and  white  men  k3  well  as 
to  the  eternal  welfare  of  those  committed  to 
their  charge.  Indeed,  it  was  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic priest  (Father  Brouillet)  and  the  officers 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  wlm  saved  the 
lives  of  Messrs.  Spalding,  Walker,  Eells  and 
their  families  aAer  the  Indians  had  massacred 
Dr.  Hud  Mrs.  Whitman  in  1847.  If  the  Bo- 
man  Catholic  Fwthers  enjoyed  the  favor  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  ineurred  the  crit- 
icism of  Protestants  for  contributing  so  litil«, 
to  the  advancement  of  the  Indians  in  the  arts. 


68 


HlSrOBIUAL  SKRCflKS  Of  THE 


of  the  white  man,  the  slower  pace  at  which 
they  led  their  wards  toward  the  white  man's 
civilization  at  least  kept  the  Indians  ali\  long- 
er than  did  the  Protestants  with  their  more 
rapid  rale  of  progress.  In  this  regard  at  least 
they  displayed  a  wisdom  superior  to  the  Meth- 
odt  8.  Upon  the  whole,  probably  history  will 
recognised  tha*  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
and  the  Roman  (/atholic  Fathers  rendered  a 
greater  service  to  the  Indians  of  British  Col- 
umbia than  the  Protestant  missionnries  and 
the  Americans  rendered  to  the  Indians  of  Or- 
egon. While  they  struggled  for  a  slower  and 
more  backward  form  of  civ!iization,  yet  Can- 
ada by  extending  law  over  the  land,  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company  by  preserving  a  consid- 
erable measure  of  order  among  Indians  aud 
whites,  and  the  Roman  Catholic  Fathers  by 
ministering  to  the  spiritual  needsof  their  ward;* 
— all  contributed,  if  not  to  the  speedy,  ai  IcHst 
to  the  orderly  settlement  of  Oregon." 


(published  seftbmber  12th   1878.) 
Chbomoixwical  Noc'es. 

1847.  Rev.  P.  McCormick  ;«kes  charge  of 
Oregon  City,  Sept.  6tli,  and  Rev.  B.  Dt-lormo 
of  St.  Louis,  French  Prairie,  on  Nov.  3rd. 
The  news  of  Dr.  Whitman's  murder  reaches 
Oregon  City  on  Dec.  8th,  and  is  communicnted 
to  the  legislature  the  following  day. 

1848.  The  bishop  of  Walla  Walla  arrives 
at  St.  Paul  on  Jan.  15.  Mission  of  Rev.  V. 
£.  Deleveau  to  Port  Vancouver,  Feb.  1st.  The 
archbishop  confirms  23  persons  at  Oregon  City, 
Feb.  13th.  The  three  bishops  availing  them- 
selves of  the  chance  of  their  reunion  at!!H.  PhuI 
with  a  large  number  of  clergymen,  hold  the 
first  provincial  council  of  Oregtui  City,  in  that 
church,  on  Feb.  28th  and  29th,  and  March  1st, 
in  which  regulations  for  discipline,  and  lU  de- 
crees were  made  which  received  later  on  the 
approbation  of  the  Holy  See.  On  March  I2fh, 
bishop  Deim-rs  leaves  Fort  Vancouver  with 
the  Spring  Express,  for  Walla  Walla,  Colville 
and  th'!  Rocky  Mountains,  on  his  way  to  Cau- 
mda  and  Europe,  in  order  to  raise  fundd,  aud 


look  for  missionaries  for  his  dincere.  On  May 
4ih  1852,  he  was  at  Oregon  City,  on  his  way 
to  Victoria,  which  he  reached  while  the  Hrcl'.- 
bishop  was  assisting  at  the  I  Plenary  Couuril 
of  Baltimore.  Rev.  J.  F.  Jayol  is  sent  to  Cow- 
litz, for  the  Nirqnally  mission,  March  ]9lli. 
The  bi<>hop  of  Walla  Walla  celebrates  polific- 
ally  at  St.  Paul,  on  Easter  Sunday.  April  2dd. 
Mission  of  Rev.  F.  Veyret  to  (lie  Sound,  May 
8lh.  The  bifhop  of  Walla  Walla  leaves  Van- 
couver. June  4th,  for  his  mission  of  Umatilla; 
arrived  at  the  Dalles,  Iteing  forbidden  by  tiif 
Snpt.  of  Indiiin  Affairs  from  going  fiiriher,  lie 
eMablishes  St.  Peter's  mission  at  the  Dalles. 
Ang.  23d,  adniisi^ion  of  the  Fathers  O.  M.  1., 
by  the  archbishop,  in  the  district  of  Nii^qually, 
to  atten<l  the  Indians  of  the  Sound.  They  es- 
tablished their  mother  house  a  mile  from  Olyni- 
[lia,  and  Irom  thence  visited  the  Indians  of  the 
whole  Bay. 

On  Sept.  I2th,  four  Sisters  of  Notre  Dnuie 
nrrive<l  at  Oregon  City  for  a  residence.  They 
occupy  the  rectory,  and  open  their  school  on 
the  15ih.  Rev.  J.  Lionet,  and  Father  Lamp- 
frit,  O.  M  I.,  arrive  over  the  plains  in  October. 
The  archbishop  leaves  St.  Paul  for  his  resid- 
ence at  Oregon  City,  on  Dec.  21  st.  He  stays 
a  month  at  Mr.  McKinley's,  and  rents  a  house 
from  Mr.  Pomeroy  for  the  rest  of  the  winter. 
Itev.  J.  Lionet  is  sent,  Dec.  28lh,  to  establish 
a  mission  at  A^ttoria:  inntead  of  that  he  es- 
tablisheil  it  on  the  other  side  of  the  Colimibia, 
on  a  piece  of  land  which  he  cultivates. 

The  admiBsion  of  the  Oblate  Fathers  in  the 
district  of  Nisquiilly,  Aug.  23d  1848,  having 
for  object  the  care  of  the  Indians  on  the  Sound, 
Father  Veyret  was  recalled  from  the  Bay  aud 
put  in  charge  of  St.  Paul's  in  the  beginning 
of  September,  same  year. 

1849.  Rev.  A.  Langlois  leaves  Oregon  for 
California,  in  January.  Gen.  Lnne,  first  gov- 
ernor of  the  Territory,  arrives  at  Oregim  City, 
on  March  2nd.  Same  day,  Fniher  Lanipfrit 
is  sent  to  Victoria  <lnriiig  the  absence  of  bit^hop 
Deuiers.  A  large  brigade  composed  of  fam- 
ilies of  St.  Paul.  St.  Louis  and  Vancouver, 
starts  on  Ms'y  19th,  with  Father  Delorme.  fur 
the  California  gold  mines.  disci>vered  in  1848. 
Arrived  on  the  spot,  a  burning  fever  deeiinatea 
them  ;  40  are  carried  away  by  the  epidemic, 


Catholic  CHtt-.vii  is  Ohboo-.. 


C9 


vis :  20  heads  of  families,  13  single  meu  and 
boys,  4  women  and  siitiie  children.  Father 
Delorme  exhausted  with  fatipiie,  is  also  seized 
by  the  fever  and  barely  escapes  the  dniijicr. 

8t.  Joseph  collcge,St.  PanI,  is  elosed  iu  June, 
in  consequence  of  the  California  mines.     Ou 
Saturday,  June  9th,  the  Sisters  of  Notre  I  >-'•<». 
of  Ore|rou  City,  enter  their  new  larjj 
built  on  a  block  given  them  by  Dr.  M»  i- 

lin.  On  the  following  day,  ihc  art-llti-  p 
blesses  it  and  celebrates  the  f.rst  Mass  in  its 
chapel.  Deacon  G.  Leclairc  is  raised  to  the 
priesthood,  Oct.  'ilst.  Rev  B.  Delorme  re- 
turns from  California  by  sea,  and  arrives  Dec. 
26th.  A  picket  «»f  soldiers,  under  the  c«>m- 
mand  of  Col.  Backeritos,  passes  the  winter  at 
Oregon  City.  Mrs.  Ha4>kento.<ii  becomes  «  con- 
vert to  the  faith  and  is  baptized,  with  all  her 
children,  by  the  an'hbishop. 

1850.  The  murder  of  Ur.  Whitman  and 
others  had  brought  war  a<!aiust  the  Cavuse 
tribe.  It  lasted  two  years,  (1848  and  1849) 
without  tratchiu)!  one  of  the  murderers.  And 
while  it  caused  the  fall  of  the  Presbyterian 
missions,  it  had  the  effect  of  increa8in<;  those 
of  the  Catholics  by  the  establishment  of  St. 
liter's  at  the  Dalles,  and  converting!  five  sup- 
|io8ed  Cayu.se  murderers  from  Presbyterian- 
ism  to  (-aiholicity.  For  the  civil  authorities 
.absolutely  requiring  the  extradition  of  (lie  mur- 

•  lerers,  the  Cayuse  chiefs  found  at  last  tive  men 
vlio  coii.sented  to  go  down,  not  as  fsuilty,  but 

'  '  have  a  talk  with  the  whites  and  explain  all 
-■)OHt  the  uiunlerers,  ten  in  number,  who  were 
•uiw  no  more,  having l)een  killed  by  the  whites. 
>obt  by  their  chiefs  ou  this  me.«sage.  they  ex- 
pe'tcd  to  return  home.  They  were  delivere<i 
t(i  Gov.  Lane  early  iu  the  spring,  brought  down 
lo  Oregon  City  and  kept  as  priM>uer-i.  'i'jieir 
;rinl  took  place,  "Notwithstanding  the  prison- 
\>rs  were  pre  <h»omed  to  «leath,"  .^ays  the  "Ri ver 

•  t  the  West ;"  therefore  it  was  a  sham  tri.il 
'♦hich  (li-(!eived  no  one;  and  they  were  sen- 
:  .need.  May  27tli,  to  be  hung.  The  execution 
it»ok  place  <in  June  Srd,  at  2  p.  m.,  before  an 
iiumeiisf  crowd.  On  hearing  their  sentence, 
their  ihoii;;hi8  were  to  .tave  their  souls,  and 
cull  for  a  prie.ot.  The  arclibishop  went  to  see 
:heui  without  d«lay,  and  c<mtinued  tog<»  twice 
a  day  tu  te.ich  tliemr  with  the  Catholic  Ladder 


and  pr.  rare  them  lor  baptism  and  death.  Mr. 
Spalding  -vctit  e.irly  to  see  them,  but  they  re- 
fused to  hear  i  i-n  and  pray  with  him.  Such 
were  the  fruits  cf  the  eleven  years  of  the  doc- 
tor's teaching.  The  Indians  call  the  priest ; 
had  the  priests  counseled  them  to  murder  Dr. 
Whitman,  it  would  rather  have  been  to  assail 
them  with  reproaches,  than  to  ask  for  their 
spiritti.'il  uiinisi rations. 

On  the  eye  of  their  death,  the  old  chief  Kilo 
Kite  and  hi;*  four  companions  made  a  declar- 
ati«)n  in  duplicate.  Wfore  Henry  H.  Crawford, 
sergeant  of  Co.  D.,  R.  M.  R.,  and  Rol>ert  D. 
Mahon,  corporal  of  Co.  A.,  R.  M.  R.,  declar- 
ing: the  first,  that  he  was  opposed;  his  two  sons 
took  part  and  were  killed  ;  the  second,  that  he 
was  absent  and  came  home  the  day  atter;  the 
third,  that  he  saw  the  deed,  but  did  not  par- 
ticipate and  w  as  sorry :  the  fourth  and  fifth, 
that  they  are  innocent  and  die  for  nothing;  all 
declaring  the  priests  never  counseled  the  crim* 
(see  Catholic  SevHnel,  April  20th  and  27th, 
1872,  for  full  account.)     In  the  forenoon  of 
June  3d.  new  quest  ions  were  made,  to  the  same 
effect.     On  that  day  the  pri.aoners  heard  a  low 
.Mass,  after  which  they  received  the  sacraments 
of  baptism  and  confirmation.     At  2  p.  m.  the 
archbishop,  assisted  'vy  Rev.  F.  Veyret,  now  a 
Jesuif,  accompanied  liiom  to  the  scaffold,  where 
the  prayers  for  the  dyiig  were  recited.    Touch- 
ing words  of  enc<»urigement  were  addressed  to 
them  on  the  mom«  nt  of  being  swung  into  the 
air:  "Onward,  on .vard  to  heaven,  children  ;  in- 
to Thy  hands,  O  Lord  Jesus !  1  commend  my 
spirit."     They  were  then  swung  into  eternity. 
There  is  a  shameful  omissioti  io  be  found  in 
the  "River  of  the  Wert,"  as  to  umv  ihr y  died, 
whether  Presbyterians,  infidels,  or  Oatholics? 
A  shameful  and  false  charge  is  found  there  also 
againgt_the  youngest  of  the  five,  of  having  been 
cruel  to  Jos.  Mcek's  little  girl  at  the  time  of 
the  HiaMMcre,  which  is  about  as  true  as  the 
ridiculous  story  of  the  marshal  himself,  who 
said  :  "One  of  them  on  the  scaffold  begged  me 
to  kill  him  with  my  knife."     A  calumnious 
falsehood!     The  truth  is  that  the  old  chief,  Kilo 
Kite,  proudly  refused  to  let  his  hands  butied. 
But  upon  the  archbishop  showing  hiui  the  cru- 
fix,  he  became  resigned  and  kept  silent.     That 
is  one  of  thn  mmuy  inaccuraciee  to  i>«  found  iu 


70 


Historical  Skctchcs  or  thr 


the  "River  of  llic  West.  '  The  followinp  fact, 
80  honorable  to  ihe  ciiizens  of  Oregon  City 
and  all  who  joined  with  them,  phonld  not  h« 
omitted  ;  that  on  hearing  of  the  innocenoe  of 
the  five  CayuBC  prixonera  they  began  to  circu- 
late a  petition  to  get  iheni  a  respite  ;  their  sym- 
pathies increased  much  more  on  learning  tli«ir 
declaration  ;  but,  the  governor  being  absent, 
there  was  no  one  to  sign  it. 

Rev,  T.  Mespli^  was  ordained  a  priest  on 
May  25th. 

In  answor  to  the  bishops  assembled  in  coun- 
cil at  St.  Paul's  in  1848,  there  arrived  from 
Rome,  on  Sept.  29th,  briefs  bearing  the  date 
of  May  81st  1850,  to  the  effect  of  creating  the 
district  of  Nisqually  into  a  diocese,  and  trans- 
ferring  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla  to  that  see; 
and  suppressing  the  diocese  of  Walla  Walln, 
and  passing  its  administration  and  those  «»f 
the  districts  of  Colville  and  Fort  Hall  to  the 
archbishop,  in  consequence  of  which  the  bish- 
op of  Nisqually  leaves  the  Dulles,  visits  St. 
Francis  Xavier's  mission  of  Cowlitz,  and  on 
Oct.  27lh  1850,  fixes  his  resideiice  at  Fort 
Vancouver. 

Hiiving  thus  brought  our  history  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church  in  Oregon  down  to  the  present  es- 
tablishment of  the  three  sees  of  Oregon  City. 
Nisqually  and  Vancouver  Island,  we  close  our 
Sketches. 


S  HORT  BIOG  R  A  PH 1 1">4 

OF  THR 

THREE  PIONEER  BISHOPS 

OF  THR 

PROVINCE  OF  OREGON. 

Archbishop  F.  N.  Blaschkt. 

Franv'ois  Norbert  Blanchet,  missionary  and 
tirst  bishop  and  archbishop  of  Oregon  City. 
U.  S.  A.,  SOI!  of  Pierre  Blanchet.  a  Canadian 
tarmer,  was  born  Sept.  30th  1795.  near  St. 
Pierre,  Riviere  .'.u  Sud,  Province  of  Quehee. 
After  three  ycnrs  in  the  villKire  school  he  went 
in  1810.  with  his  brother  Angustin  Magloire, 
later  to  first  bishop  of  Walla  Walla  and  Nis- 
qually, to  the  seminary  of  Quebec,  where  he 
was  ordained  priest  July  18fh,  1819.  He  wa« 
statioued  at  the  catliedr.tl  (or  a  year  and  was 


ihon  sent  to  Richibucto.  N«w  Bniiifwick.  as 
|nsHr  of  the  Micmac  Indians  and  Aradinn 
settlers.  In  1827  he  was  recalled  to  MonircMl. 
and  appointed  pnstrr  of  Sonhmges.  l)nriri<; 
the  cholera  of  18,32  he  attended  the  strii  ken  to 
fearlessly  (hat  the  Protestants  of  the  p  ace  pn- 
sented  him  with  a  testimonial.  In  18.S7  le 
was  a|  pointed  vicar  gener*-'  by  bi^hop  Sigmiy 
f(  r  the  Orc;;oti  mission,  and  he  set  out  on  Mj'v 
.3rd,  18;'8.  accompanied  by  the  Rev.  Modestc 
Demers  with  the  annual  express  of  the  Hud- 
Kon  Bay  C«  nj  any.  and  they  arrived  at  F<  rt 
Vancouver  on  Nov.  24th. 

For  four  years  they  labored  alone.  Tlicy 
were  lien  reinfonn-d,  fnm  tiro?  to  lime,  ly 
other  I  ricsf!»,  both  secular  and  regular,  and  by 
Sisters  of  N  >tre  Dame  of  Namur,  Belgium. 
On  Dec.  1st  1.''48,  the  Oregon  missi.  u  became 
a  \  icariale  Apostolic  and  Father  Blanchet  was 
named  its  first  vicar.  He  was  consecrated 
bishop  in  Montreal  on  July  26lh,  1845.  He 
visited  Europe  at  different  times  in  quest  of 
priests  and  financial  help.  On  July  24lli,  1846. 
the  vicariate  was  erected  into  a  province  ami 
bishop  Blanchet  was  made  archbishop  of  Or- 
egon City,  his  brother  Magloire  b»)canie  bishop 
of  Walla  Walla,  and  Father  Demers  bishop 
«if  Vancouver's  Island. 

The  iirchbishnp  was  indefatigable.     He  held 
his  first  provincial  council  in  1848.  attended 
the  first  plenary  council  of  Baltimore  in  1852, 
went  in  1855  to  Sonih  America  an«l  collected 
for  two  years  in  Chile,  Peru  and  Bolin'a;  he 
went  to  Canada  in  1859  and  returned  -.vith  31 
priests  and  sisters.      He  attended  the  second 
plenary  council  cf  Baltimore  in  1860  :  on  July 
19th.  1869,  he  celebrate*!  hid  golden  jubilee  of 
ordination,  and  in  the  following  October  set 
out      -  Rome  to  assist  at  the  Va'ican  council 
in  ! .    J.     When  bishop  Seghers  was  made  hi.-^ 
coadj     nr  in  1879,  he  retired  to  the  hospital  of 
the  sii»ters  of  Providence  at  Portland.     He  is 
the  author  of  the  "Historical  Sketches  of  the 
Catho'ic  (  hurch  in  OregDii."     In  1880  he  re- 
signed and  died  in  Portland  June  18i|i.  1883. 
He  found  on  the  Pacific  coast  a  wilderness, 
both  .spiritual  and  material;  lielef.  after  4H 
vears  of  heroic  work,  a  well  organized  ecclc- 
Mastical  province.     He  will  \te  known  in  Am- 
erican history  as  the  Apostle  of  Oregon. 


Fi.Miop  A.  M.  A.  Blanchkt. 

Aitgiistin  Maijloire  AlexanHre  UlHtn-lie». 
broilier  of  the  preoeiliii<r.  Hrst  biMiop  of  WhIIh 
WhIIh  hikI  Ni»quHlly,  Stare  of  Wnsliiiigton, 
V.  S.  A..  WHB  lM)rii  AngiiRl  22iid,  1797.  on  liia 
fntlier's  farm  iieHr  the  village  of  St.  Pieriv, 
Hi\  i^re  dii  Slid,  Canada.  After  Htleiidiii),'  the 
villiigc  school  for  three  years,  he  was  sent  to 
Qiiebce.  with  his  brother  Franynis  Norl)ert,  to 
Mudy  for  the  priesthood.  He  was  onlaincd 
JnneSrd,  1821.  After  a  year  as  assistant  pas- 
tor at  St  Gervais,  ho  was  sent  ns  niissioimry 
to  the  Isles  de  la  Madeleine  inid  later  to  Cape 
Breton  Island.  He  gave  four  years  of  ininis- 
iry  to  the  Gnlf  provinres.  Then  he  was  re- 
(ralled  to  the  vicariate  Apostolic  of  Montreal, 
and  was  successively  pastor  of  fonr  parishes, 
in  one  of  which  he  was  the  successor  of  his  el- 
der brother.  In  1846  while  a  canon  of  the 
Montreal  cathedral,  he  was  appointed  bishop 
of  the  new  diocese  of  Walla  Walla  in  what  is 
now  the  State  of  Washington.  He  was  con- 
secrated Sept.  27th,  1846.  In  the  following 
spring  he  set  out  overlnnd  for  his  d  slant  see 
with  one  priest. Rev.  J.  B.  A.  Uronillet.and  two 
students.  At  Pittsburgh  he  declared  his  inten- 
lion  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  Slates. 
At  St.  Louis  the  party  was  increased  by  Father 
Uiciird,  two  deacons  and  brother  tilanchet,  all 
members  of  the  Order  of  Mary  Iinniacniale. 
Fort  Walla  Walla  was  reached  on  Sept.  oih, 
1847.  The  bishop  located  at  the  Dalles,  and 
thence  inulliplietl  his  apostolic  labors  through- 
out the  vast  territory  under  his  care.  He  was 
fill  of  zeal.  He  esiublished  missions;  built 
rhiirches  ;  founded  acadt-miea  and  colleges:  ho 
.'started  .schools  for  the  Indians  ;  he  begged  for 
I  riests  in  Cauada  and  abroad,  and  he  obtaine<l 
sisters  for  hospitals  and  other  institutions. 

In  18.50  the  see  of  Walla  Walla  was  siip- 
(.i-essed  and  that  i>f  Ni^qiially  ercrted  in  iis 
xter.d,  with  headquarters  at  Fort  Vancouver, 
lu  18.')2  he  attended  the  first  plenary  council 
of  Ualiimore,  but,  on  account  of  iniirniities,  he 
WHS  unable  to  attend  that  of  the  Vatican.  In 
1879,a(ier32  years  of  arduous  labor  in  Wash- 
iugloii,  he  resigned  his  see  and  was  named  titu- 
lar bishop  of  Ibora.  He  spent  his  last  8  years 
in  priiyer  and  suffering.  His  peaceful  death, 
which  occurred  Feb.  2.5th,  1887,  was  a  filliug 
close  for  his  life  of  sacrifice.  He  is  revered  as 
:l>o  Apostle  of  Washington. 


Bishop  Moomte  DrMrRS.  71 

M<i<!i\-le  Denierf,  the  Aposlle  of  British  CoU 
uinl)i:i.  was  born  at  St.  Nicholas.  Quebec,  on 
Oct.  1 1th,  18()!i.  His  father.  Michel  Oemers. 
and  his  mother.  Rosalie  Foui-hcr.  were  two 
worthy  representatives  of  the  French  Canadian 
farmer  class.  Endowed  with  a  delicate  cons- 
cience and  a  distinctly  religious  disposition, 
young  Dcmer.'*  resolved  to  enter  the  ecclesias- 
tical slate,  and  stinlied  first  privately  and  then 
at  the  Quebec  seminary.  He  was  ordained  on 
Feb.  7ih.  18:JC,  by  bishop  Signay.  and  after  14 
months  passed  as  assistant  priest  at  Trois-Pis- 
toles,  he  volunteered  for  the  far-off  mission  of 
Oregon,  where  the  white  population,  made  up 
mostly  of  French  Canadians  employees  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company,  was  clamoring  for  the 
ministrations  of  a  priest.  Having  crossed  the 
.American  continent  in  company  of  vicar  gen- 
eml  F.  N.  Blanchet,  he  reached  Walla  Walla 
Nov.  18lh,  1838,  and  immediately  applied  him- 
self to  the  care  of  the  lowliesi,  that  is,  the  In- 
dian tribes,  which  were  then  very  numerous. 
He  studied  their  languages  and  visited  their 
homes  regularly,  preaching,  catechizing  the 
adults,  and  baptizing  the  children.  Hi*  apos- 
tolic zeal  even  led  him  on  along  the  coast  of 
British  Columbia,  and  in  18-i'<!  he  proceeded 
inlaiul  )>4  far  iiorlh  as  Stuart  Lake,  evangeliz- 
ing as  he  went  all  the  interior  tribes  of  that 
pivvince. 

His  companion,  the  vicar  general,  having 
been  elevated  to  the  episcopate,  Father  Demers 
had  to  submit  to  what  he  considered  a  burden 
beyond  his  strength.  He  was  consecrated  bish- 
op on  Nov.  30lh.  \647,  and  appointed  to  the 
spiritual  care  of  Vancouver  Island,  making 
Victoria  hie  headquarters.  As  a  bishop  he 
continued  his  work  among  the  Indians,  though 
he  soon  had  to  give  his  best  attention  to  the 
rough  and  cosmopolitan  element  which  now 
formed  his  wl>=«'»  floiik.  For  its  benefit  he  pro- 
cured in  XSh'  .e  services  of  the  Sisters  of  St. 
Anne,  who  established  schools  at  Victoria  atd 
elsewhere,  and  of  the  Oblate  Fathers,  who  took 
in  hand  the  evangelization  of  the  natives,  and 
also  founded  a  college  in  his  cathedral  city.  In 
18C6  he  attended  the  second  plenary  council  of 
Bahimore.and  shovtly  after  that  of  the  Vatican. 
He  died  July  27th,  1871, beloved  alike  by  Prot- 
estants and  Catholics,  and  revered  for  his  gen- 
tleness and  his  charity  for  the  poor  and  lowly. 


72 


TABLK  OF  CONTEXTS. 


Sketch  1.  liitrfMliiHion.  1 

The  lirst  Catholics  in  Oroj^on.  2 

Sketch  i.   Protestant  missionary  lal»or»  in 

Orejjon.  4 

Sketch  3.  Origin  of  the  Canndian  missions 
in  Orejion.  Letter  of  the  hishop  of  Ju- 
liopolin  to  Dr.  John  McLan^ihlin.  6 

Letter  of  Sir  'ieo.  Simpson,  to  the  bishop 
<)f  Quehec.  Appoinlnjent  of  minsiona- 
ries.  Instructions  jriven  to  very  Rev.  F. 
N.  Blanchet  and  Rev.  M.  Dcniers.  7 

Skelcli  4.  Journey  of  the  missionaries  from 
Lachine  to  Fort  Vancouver.  X 

Consecration  of  llie  Rocky  Mountains  to 
God.  First  Mass  in  Ore;fon.  Eifjliteen 
•hiys  at  the  House  of  the  Lakes.  First 
missionary  labors  in  Orefron.  Loss  of 
twelve  lives.  9 

Sketch  5.  Missionary  hibors  at  Colvillc,  ()- 
kaiiagaii    and  Waihi  Walla.  ID 

Letter  of  vicar  jrencral  Blanchet  to  liie 
bishop  of  Queljec,  jjivinjr  ni»  account  of 
hia  journey  to  Oregon.  1 1 

Sketch  6.  Vicar  generals  letter  ctniliiiui'd.  14 
Sketch  7.  Vicar  generals  letter  concliuled.  17 
Arrival  and  recepliuii  of  the  niis*ioniiries 
at  Fort  Vancouver.  1>< 

Sketch  8.  Letter  from  Rev.  M.  Uemers  to 

Rev.  v.  F.  Cazean  of  CJuebcc.  20 

Sketch  K.  First  Mas^^  at  Fort  Vnncouver. 
Condition  of  the  coinilry.  23 

Missions  to  various  places  and  among  the 
Indians.    Mission  at  Vancouver.  21 

Sketch  10.  Conversion  of  Dr.  .McLaughlin.  2.5 
Missionary  labors  at  Fort  Vancouver.  2(1 
First  visit  to  Cowlitz  mission.  27 

Sketch  11.  First  mis-iiou  to  the  Willamette 
valley.     The  Wilhimetle  Fall.  28 

Tlie  true  name  of  our  river.  .30 

Sketch  12.  First  mission  to  Cowlitz  in  \A'M>.  .SI 
First  mission  at  Fori  Nisqually.  82 

Sketch  I.S.  Second  mission  to  the  Willam- 

«.'tte  valley.  33 

Sketch  14.   Brigade  of  ihe  North.    Mission 
ofFailier  Deiners  to  Colville  in  1839.     34 
Brigade  of  tip    South.     .Second  ujis^ion 
to  Cow    ;z.  35 

Sketch  ti').  Second  mission  to  Nisqnaily. 
Short  reuTiion  of  the  two  niissioimries. 
Objections  raised  to  the  r  -^idence  at  the 


48 
4!» 
M 

h.) 
:>4 


WillaniiMte.    Farting  of  the  mi^-sionaries.  36 

Sketch  IC.  Sketch  of  ihe  Cowliijs  mission, 
by  Rev.  M.  D«'iners.  37 

Ske'lrh  17  Missionary  lalK>rs  in  184<».  Mis- 
sions to  Vancouver,  Nisqually.  Whidby 
Island,  Chinook  Fnint.  Brigades  and  Col- 
ville.    First  communion  at  Si.  I'aid.        W 

Skeich  18.  41 

Sketch  11».  4*2 

Letter  of  bishop  Rosati  of  St.  I^ouis,  to 
the  (Jeneral  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  43 

Skeich  2('.  Missionary  lal>ors  in  1841  at 
Vnncnnver.  Willamette  Falls,  Clack- 
amas and  Cascades.  Letter  of  Father 
l)c  Sniet  to  vicar  general  Blanche).  4r) 

Skcleli  21.  Additional  incidents  in  1840. 
Various  missions  in  1841.  47 

Skcicli  22.  Incidents  of  1841.     Missionary 
labors  in  1842. 
Arrival  of  Father  De  Smet. 

Skeich  23. 

Missionary  labors  in  1843. 

Skeich  24     Missionary  labors  in  1844. 
Arrival  of  Father  De  Smel  by  sea. 

Skeich  2.'>.  Fight  at  ()reg<m  City,  March 
4ih  18^4.  Extract  fnmi  the  mi.xsionary 
report  on  llie  occasion.  nft 

Skeich  2f>.  Missionary  labors  in  184.5  nn<l 
184().  Letter  of  Father  Demers  to  the 
vicar  general.  .Tfi 

Sketch  27.  The  bishop  ele<l's  journey  to 
Canada,  Komc,  and  return  to  Oregon. 
Coiidiiion  of  the  missions  in  1844.  68 

.■Sketch  2H  Rejoicing  in  the  archdiocese  at 
the  arrival  of  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla. 
Consecration  tf  bishop  Deniers.  I'on- 
dition  of  ihe  dioceses.  61 

Sketch  211.  Ml  r'cr  of  Dr.  Whitman  and 
wife.  Narrow  esca|ie  of  Mr.  Spalding. 
The  lives  of  Father  Bronillet,  the  bishop 
and  clergy  in  great  danger.  C3 

Effects  of  the  murder  and  war  upon  the 
Catholic  and  1'rotef.tanl  mission!).   Ingrai- 
itiide  and  calnninies  of  Mr.  Spalding.       t-fi 
Sketch  .30.  Father  Brouillet's  pampMcts.    Ofi 
A  Frotestant  bishop  on  this  subject.  C7 

Sketch  31.  Chronological  notes.  68 

Biograpliy  of  archbishop  Blanchet.  70 

Biographical  sketches  of  Bishops  Blan- 
chet and  Demers.  71 


IMI 


